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AN 


AMERICAN  COMMENTARY 


ON    THE 


NEW   TESTAMENT. 


EDITED  BY 

ALVAH  HOVEY,  D.D.,  LL.D. 


V 


PHILADELPHIA . 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 

1420  Chestnut  Street. 


COMMENTARY 


ON   THE 


EPISTLES  TO  THE  THESSALONIANS. 


BY 

PROFESSOR  WILLIAM  ARNOLD  'sTEVENS. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 

1420  Chestnut  Street. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1890,  by  the 

AMERICAN    BAPTIST   PUBLICATION    SOCIETY, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO 
THE  THESSALONIANS. 


A  letter,  if  it  fall  into  the  hands  of  other  readers  than  those  to  whom  it  was  first 
addressed,  needs  an  Introduction,  perhaps,  more  than  any  other  writing.  Especially  is 
tliis  the  case  with  the  letters  contained  in  the  New  Testament  Scriptures— documents 
saved  to  our  time  from  an  ancient  and  vanished  worhl ;  all  of  them,  it  is  true,  parts  of 
one  apostolic  message  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  to  his  churches,  yet  each  with  a  history,  an 
individuality,  and  a  mission  of  its  own.  The  Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians  are  among  the 
earliest  writings  of  the  New  Testament  (preceded,  it  is  probable,  only  by  James),  and  the 
earliest  by  several  years  from  the  hand  of  the  Apostle  Paul.  The  most  ancient  copies 
contain  the  text  alone— no  preface  or  note  explanatory  of  their  occasion  or  history.  The 
present  Introduction  will  treat,  first,  of  The  City  of  Thessalonica ;  second,  of  The  Church; 
third,  of  The  Occasion  and  Object  of  the  First  Epistle;  fourth,  of  its  General  Character 
and  Contents.  Other  topics,  such  as  the  History  of  the  Text,  and  the  Genuineness  and 
Integrity  of  the  Epistle,  without  which  an  Introduction  can  scarcely  be  called  complete, 
are  deemed  less  suitable  to  a  commentary  on  the  English  text. 

I.  THE  CITY. 

Thessalonica,  in  Paul's  time,  was  the  metropolis,  the  political  and  commercial  capital 
of  Northern  Grreece.  From  the  earliest  historic  period  it  was  a  seaport  of  jNIacedonia ;  in 
B.  C.  315,  it  was  enlarged  by  Cassander,  and  received  the  name  Thessalonica,  of  which 
the  modern  name,  Salonica,  is  an  obvious  abbreviation,  still  retaining  the  same  penulti- 
mate accent.  It  was  situated  at  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  ^gean  Sea,  at  the  ex- 
treme end  of  the  long  Thcrmaic  Gulf,— now  the  Gulf  of  Salonica,— with  which  the 
^Egean  terminates  on  the  northwest.  In  ancient  times,  as  now,  the  traveler,  as  he 
neared  the  head  of  the  gulf,  beheld  facing  him  an  imposing  walled  city,  broad  based 
at  the  water's  edge,  and  narrowing  upward  toward  the  fortified  angle  high  on  the  moun- 
tain side.  Unlike  many  of  the  older  Greek  cities,  its  wharves  were  close  to  its  principal 
streets  and  buildings.  Thessalonica  was  not  built,  like  Athens  or  Corinth,  around  an 
acropolis,  di-stant  from  the  shore.  The  walls  were  about  five  miles  in  circuit.  Back  of 
the  city  the  mountains  rise  still  higher  to  the  north  and  east.  Looking  down  the  blue 
bay,  some  fifty  miles  off,  the  majestic  summit  of  Olympus— snow  capped— is  seen  against 
the  sky. 

As  a  commercial  emporium,  it  was  second,  among  Greek  cities,  only  to  Corinth  and 
Ephcsus  ;  the  fertile  and  populous  provinces  of  the  interior  created  an  extensive  traffic  of 
impoi-ts  and  exports  alike.  The  construction,  under  the  empire,  of  the  Via  Egnatia  had 
added  to  its  importance  and  prosperity.  This  was  the  great  land  route  between  Rome 
and  her  eastern  dominions,  the  main  line  connecting  the  Imperial  city  with  Byzantium, 
Antioch,  and  Jerusalem.     It  was,  as  Cicero  said,  "  in  the  heart  of  the  empire."     It  was 


6       INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS. 

not  only  the  seat  of  government  of  the  province  of  Macedonia,  and  its  most  populous 
cit}',  but  it  was  virtually  the  capital  of  Greece.  Vessels  from  all  parts  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean were  seen  in  her  roadstead;  the  "  Egnatian  "  was  the  eastern  extension  of  the 
"Appian  "  Way,  and  kept  the  provincial  city  in  constant  communication,  by  the  swiftest 
posts,  with  Rome,  as  well  as  with  the  East.  It  passed  through  the  heart  of  the  city, 
forming  a  broad,  straight  street  parallel  with  the  shore.  The  Thessalonians  would  be 
fiiniiliar  with  the  figures  and  the  pageants  that  Milton  has  pictured  on  the  Appian  Way, 
nearer  Rome  : 

"Praetors,  proconsuls  to  their  provinces 

Hasting  or  on  return  in  robes  of  state  ; 

Lictors  and  rods,  the  ensigns  of  their  power,  ^ 

Legions  and  cohorts,  turms  of  horse,  and  wings  ; 

Or  embassies  from  regions  far  remote, 

In  various  habits  on  the  Appian  road." 

Thus  the  newly  formed  church  was  soon  heard  of  afar,  and  became  "an  example"  ; 
"From  you,"  writes  the  apostle,  "  the  word  of  the  Lord  hath  sounded  forth,  not  only  in 
Macedonia  and  Achaia.  but  in  every  place." 

Its  ancient  population  cannot  be  estimated  with  any  accuracy,  but  it  was  pretty 
certainly  larger  than  now.  It  has  been  rapidly  increasing  in  recent  years  ;  the  estimate 
in  1884  was  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand,  over  against  one  hundred  thousand  in 
1880.  It  is  destined  soon  to  attain  a  size  and  importance  unknown  in  its  past  checkered 
history.  A  recent  visitor  to  the  city  says  :  ^  "The  railway  which  connects  it  with  Bel- 
grade and  Vienna  is  completed  all  but  a  very  few  miles  between  Nisch  and  Pristina. 
When  this  is  done,  not  only  will  the  rich  plains  of  Upper  Macedonia,  Servia,  and  Bulgaria 
be  brought  within  easy  access  of  the  sea,  but  it  is  expected  that  through  Salonica  will  lie 
the  main  route  to  Egypt,  India,  and  the  East,  as  in  former  days  did  the  great  thorough- 
fare between  Rome  and  Constantinople.  The  overland  mail  will  then  leave  the  shores  of 
Europe  at  Salonica,  instead  of  Brindisi,  and  an  economy  of  about  thirty  hours  will  be 
effected.  If  Turkish  stupidity  will  only  not  throw  obstacles  in  the  way,  there  is  no  reason 
why  Salonica  should  not  rival  Smyrna,  and  become  the  Marseilles  of  the  Eastern  Mediter- 
lanean." 

The  Jewish  colony  was  larger,  it  would  seem,  than  Paul  had  found  at  Philippi ;  they 
had  "a  synagogue."  (Acts  17  : 1.)  At  present  the  Jews  nearly  or  quite  outnumber  the 
other  races, — Greeks,  Bulgarians,  Turks,  and  all, — and  control  the  leading  branches  of 
business.  In  the  time  of  the  apostle  they  could  have  formed  no  such  preponderant 
element,  and  Dr.  Dods  can  scarcely  be  right  in  assuming  that  "the  population  was  largely 
Jewish."  But  their  synagogue,  with  its  weekly  services  of  prayer  to  "the  living  and  true 
God"  (1  Thess.  1  :  9),  and  its  public  readings  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  had  pre- 
pared the  way  for  the  reception  of  the  gospel  and  the  estabHshment  of  this  flourishing 
church. 

Politically,  it  was  a  "  free  city  "  {urhf;  libera)^  as  were  also,  for  instance.  Tarsus  and 
Athens,  vested  with  the  privilege — prized  by  no  people  more  than  the  Greeks — of  local 
self-government.  No  Roman  garrison  could  be  quartered  within  its  walla  It  was  free 
from  interference  in  its  local  affairs  on  the  part  of  the  Roman  provincial  governors  ;  even 
the  power  of  life  and  death  lay  with  its  chief  magistrates.     In  Thessalonica,  these  magis- 

'  "  Brit,  and  For.  Ev.  Review,"  1886,  p.  226. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS. 


tratcs,  seven  in  number,  bore  the  title  of  Politarch,  as  we  learn  from  Luke,  whose  accuracy 
on  this  point  has  been  in  modern  times  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  ancient  inscrip- 
tions. There  was  also  the  usual  local  assembly,  called  the  Demos,  and  probably  a 
senate  (bouA>j). 

But  it  is  the  moral  and  religious  life  of  the  Thessalonian  city  tliat  is  of  chief  interest 
to  the  reader  of  these  letters.  Many  questions  spring  up  in  the  mind  that  require  for 
their  discussion  a  larger  space  than  would  here  be  appropriate,  ^\^as  Thessalonica. 
like  Athens,  a  "religious"  city,  and  "full  of  idols"?  What  type  of  Paganism  did 
the  apostle  find  here?  what  standards  of  social  morality?  what  basis  in  the  life  and 
character  of  this  population  for  Christian  instruction?  or  what  providential  preparation 
for  the  reception  of  the  gospel?  Some  of  these  points  will  be  briefly  touched  upon  in  the 
following  pages  both  of  the  Introduction  and  of  the  Commentary.  The  inquiry  concern- 
ing the  ijreparation  for  the  gospel,  as  has  already  been  shown,  finds  partial  answer  in  the 
presence  of  the  Jewish  colony  and  its  synagogue.  Speaking  generally,  however,  Thessa- 
lonica was  a  city  of  Greeks — Greeks  of  the  north,  a  race  hardier,  less  effeminate,  and  less 
sensualized  than  the  bulk  of  the  population  in  Ephesus  or  in  Corinth.  Their  religion  was 
that  pagan  idolatry  which  adored  the  gods  of  Olympus,  the  sacred  and  majestic  mountain 
which,  on  clear  days,  was  in  full  view  as  one  looked  across  the  bay.  This  legendary  faith 
of  their  ancestors  still  kept  its  hold  upon  the  imagination,  and  to  an  extent  upon  the 
heart.  That  they  "had  long  lost  all  practical  belief  in  the  Pagan  religion,"  as  Farrar 
assumes,  we  cannot  admit  to  be  true  of  the  mass  of  the  people.  Tiie  Olympian  system 
of  the  poets  was  no  longer  an  object  of  faith,  if,  indeed,  it  ever  had  been  ;  but  local 
superstitions,  and  the  worship  of  native  demi-gods  and  deities,  did  not  so  easily  vanish 
before  philosophy  and  doubt.  To  the  poor  and  the  uncultivated,  Paganism  was  still  a 
worship,  and  wlien  they  became  Christians,  it  was  to  "turn  from  idols,"  and  to  offend 
demoniac  powers,  who,  they  perhaps  thought  with  dread,  could  hurt  if  they  could  not 
help.  That  they  worshiped  the  deities  of  their  race  with  a  certain  sincere  faith  and  fear, 
there  is  every  reason  to  believe.  Yet  the  idolatry  of  the  age  was  itself  frightfully  im- 
moral ;  a  wealthy  commercial  city  like  Thessalonica  revealed  much  that  was  worst  in  the 
national  religion.  Its  household  art ;  its  legends  ;  its  public  festivals  and  processions ;  its 
encouragement  of  nameless  vice  and  sensuality— are  familiar  to  readers  of  classical  litera- 
ture, and  have  been  treated  at  length  by  many  writers.  What  might  have  been  seen  in 
Corinth  of  the  Fourth  Century  B.  c,  has  been  told  by  Becker  in  his  Charides ;  Corinth 
was  no  better  four  centuries  later,— only  worse, — and  Thessalonica  would  not  fail  to  im- 
port its  fashions  and  its  follies.  Prof  Fisher'  has  clearly  and  candidly  set  forth  the 
leading  features  of  the  popular  religion  at  this  time  in  Greek  and  Roman  communities, 
touching  also  upon  the  morality  of  ancient  heathenism.  Others,  as  Tholuck  and  Fried- 
lander,  have  exhibited  more  fully,  and  in  still  darker  colors,  the  debasement.and  degra- 
dation entailed  by  the  Paganism  of  the  classical  world.  One  of  the  saddest  phases  at  the 
period  when  Christianity  came  was  the  moral  hopelessness  which  shut  in  those  who  felt 
most  deeply  the  evils  of  their  life.  This  feature  impressed  the  Apostle  Paul,  who  again 
and  again  characterizes  the  Gentiles  as  men  who  have  no  hope.  This  is,  indeed,  the  most 
striking  ethical  phenomenon  of  the  age  :  the  sense,  in  some  of  its  noblest  spirit.s,  of  the 
burden  of  life,  the  utter  emptiness  of  existence,  and  the  impenetrable  darkness  of  the 
future. 

*  "  Beginnings  of  Christianity,"  chapters  3,  4,  and  6, 


8       INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS. 

From  the  opening  paragraph  in  the  twentieth  of  Acts,  it  appears  that  Paul  revisited 
Thessalonica  during  his  second  missionary'  journey,  both  going  and  returning,  A.  D.  53,  54. 
It  is  supposed,  also,  from  allusions  in  the  Epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus,  that  there  were 
subsequent  visits  (see  1  Tim.  1:3;  Titus  3  :  12 ;  2  Tim.  4:13)  while  journeying  in  that 
region  after  his  return  from  the  imprisonment  in  Rome,  A.  D.  61-63. 

II.   THE  CHURCH. 

The  Thessalonian  Church  was  founded  A.  D.  52,  only  a  few  months  before  the  writing 
of  the  First  Epistle.  Paul,  Silas,  and  Timothy,  had  come  directly  from  Philippi,  leaving 
Luke  behind,  it  appears,  to  have  oversight  of  the  recently  established  church.  Though 
still  suffering  from  his  injuries,  Paul  proceeds  at  once  to  his  task.  The  story  of  his 
ministry  in  Thessalonica  occupies  but  one  short  paragraph  in  Acts.  Luke  was  not  here 
an  eyewitness ;  his  narrative  is  no  longer  in  the  first  person,  as  in  the  preceding  chapter, 
and  lacks  somewhat  the  graphic  circumstantiality  with  which  he  recounts  their  Philippian 
experiences.     He  relates  (we  render  freely)  : 

"They  came  to  Thessalonica,  where  was  a  synagogue  of  the  Jews.  Paul,  according 
to  his  custom,  went  in,  and  for  three  Sabbaths  reasoned  with  them  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures,  explaining  the  prophecies  and  showing  that  it  was  necessary,  for  their 
fulfillment,  that  the  Messiah  should  suffer  and  arise  from  the  dead;  and  'this  Jesus,' 
said  he,  'whom  I  am  proclaiming  unto  you,  is  the  Messiah.'  And  some  of  the  Jews  were 
persuaded,  and  attached  themselves  to  Paul  and  Silas ;  likewise  a  great  number  of  devout 
Greeks,  and  of  women  of  high  rank,  not  a  few. 

"  But  the  Jews,  moved  with  jealousy,  and  taking  with  them  some  of  the  city  rabble, 
gathered  a  crowd  and  set  the  city  in  an  uproar.  And  they  assaulted  the  house  of  Jason, 
and  sought  for  them,  to  bring  them  into  the  Assembly  of  the  people.  But,  not  finding 
them,  they  dragged  Jason  and  certain  brethren  to  the  Politarchs,  shouting  :  'These  men 
who  have  turned  the  world  upside  down  are  come  hither  also ;  Jason  has  entertained 
them  ;  and  all  of  them  are  acting  contrary  to  the  decrees  of  Cfesar,  declaring  that  there 
is  another  king,  Jesus.'  And  the  multitude  and  the  Politarchs  were  alarmed  when  they 
heard  these  things  ;  and  they  took  security  from  Jason  and  the  rest,  and  then  dismissed 
them.     And  the  brethren  immediately  sent  away  Paul  and  Silas  by  night  unto  Berea." 

From  this  account  of  its  origin,  and  from  the  two  short  letters  written  a  few  months 
later,  not  very  much  can  be  gained  concerning  the  history  and  distinctive  features  of  the 
little  community  which  the  apostle  addresses  as  The  congregation  of  the  Thessalonians 
that  is  in  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  A  few  features  appear,  however, 
that  interest  us  at  once  in  this  young  church,  Paul's  pride  and  joy. 

It  had  for  the  most  part  a  Gentile  membership.  A  few  of  the  first  converts  were 
Jews;  a  larger  number  (including  the  above-mentioned  women  of  rank)  Gentiles,  pre.sum- 
ably  Greeks  by  race.  The  latter,  although  not,  strictly  speaking,  proselytes,  had  been 
worshipers  with  the  Jews  in  their  synagogue.  All  these  converts  Avere  the  fruit  of  three 
Sabl)aths"  or  weeks'  proachitig.  Afterward  a  much  larger  number  of  converts  were  won 
directly  from  the  Pagan  community  ;  for  we  find  Paul,  in  the  First  Epistle,  addressing 
his  readers  as  those  who  had  under  his  preaching  turned  from  the  worship  of  idols  to 
that  of  the  true  God. 

It  is  commonly  taken  for  granted  that  the  three  or  four  weeks  spoken  of  in  Acts  em- 
brace the  whole  period  of  the  apostle's  sojourn  at  this  time  in  Thessalonica.  Riggenbach 
controverts  the  supposition  tliat  Paul  remained  longer;  more  recently,  Godet  also  assumes 


INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS. 


that  he  "  left  the  city  and  its  beloved  church  after  a  stay  of  about  four  weeks."  ^  But 
both  of  Paul's  letters  imply  a  longer  period  of  personal  labor  and  instruction.  He  verifies 
certain  facts  of  his  ministry  by  appealing  to  the  personal  knowledge  of  his  readers  in  a 
way  which  fully  justifies  the  inference  that  he  had  been  with  them  for  a  longer  time  than 
the  mere  week  or  two  following  the  conversion  of  the  most  of  those  whom  he  addressed. 
For  example,  he  reminds  them  of  his  freedom  from  mercenary  motives  and  the  man- 
pleasing  spirit,  of  his  daily  labor  for  self-support,  and  how  he  instructed  them  one  by  one 
in  the  ways  of  Christian  duty.  The  latter  reminiscence  (compare  1  Tiiess.  2  :  11,  12)  of 
itself  implies  a  period  of  continued  personal  labor.  And  the  whole  appeal  to  their 
personal  testimony  on  the  points  referred  to  would  lose  much  of  its  force  if  Paul  had 
left  the  city  after  the  third  Sabbath,  when  the  majority  of  his  Gentile  converts  could  have 
known  him  but  a  very  few  days.  Still  more  decisive  is  the  allusion  to  these  Gentile  con- 
verts as  having,  at  the  time  of  his  arrival  among  them,  "turned  from  idols."  This 
cannot  be  meant  of  the  "devout  Greeks"  mentioned  in  Acts  17  :  4,  for,  as  the  term 
"devout"  {(Teponeyiov)  ImpHes,  they  were  already  worshipers  of  the  God  of  the  Jews. 
They  must  have  been  subsequent  accessions  from  the  Pagan  population.  We  are  driven, 
therefore,  to  the  conclusion  that  the  apostle  remained  at  least  several  weeks  after  his  three 
Sabbaths  of  synagogue  work  before  he  was  driven  from  the  city  by  the  Jews.  That  Luke 
does  not  mention  it  in  the  passage  in  Acts,  a  second-hand  and  closel}'  condensed  account, 
is  not  surprising,  and  forms  no  serious  objection  to  the  supposition. 

It  was  composed  of  the  poor.  It  is  to  men  who  "work  with  their  hands"  that  the 
letters  are  written — tfadosmen  and  mechanics,  who  would  become  dependent  upon  others 
if  they  neglected  daily  labor.  (Compare  1  Thess.  4  :  11,  12  ;  2  Thess.  3  :  12.)  This,  how- 
ever, would  not  distinguish  it  from  others  among  the  early  churches.  "Blessed  are  ye 
poor,  for  yours  is  the  kingdom  of  God,"  expresses  the  constitutive  principle  that  has  ever 
prevailed  in  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  But  it  was  no  ordinary  jMjverty  that 
tested  the  patience  and  fidelity  of  the  Thessalonians.  It  is,  doubtless,  of  them,  as  well 
as  of  the  Philippian  and  other  Macedonian  churches,  that  Paul  writes  to  the  Corinthians 
"that  in  much  proof  of  affliction  the  abundance  of  their  joy  and  their  deep  povertj/ 
abounded  unto  the  riches  of  their  liberality."  (2  Cor.  8  :  2,  Rev.  Yer.)  The  whole  of 
the  fine  tribute  to  the  zeal  and  liberality  of  the  Macedonian  Christians,  contained  in  the 
chapter  cited,  belongs  in  no  slight  part,  one  is  impelled  to  think,  to  the  Thessalonians,  of 
whom  Paul  could  emphatically  say,  they  "gave  their  own  selves  to  the  Lord,  and  to  us 
by  the  will  of  God." 

The  prominence  of  women  in  its  membership  is  a  feature  mentioned  by  Luke  wliich 
marks  the  Thessalonian  Church  in  common  with  others  of  Macedonia.  Here,  as  at 
PhiUppi  and  Berea,  women  of  rank  and  influence  early  identified  themselves  with  the 
new  movement.  Bishop  Lightfoot  is  undoubtedly  correct  in  assuming  that  the  apo.stle's 
work  was  thus  strongly  reinforced.  The  conditions  of  life  in  Northern  Greece  were  in  this 
respect  verj'  favorable  as  comjiared  with  the  cities  of  Asia  Minor,  where  Paul  had  labored 
hitherto.  "The  extant  Macedonian  inscriptions,"  says  Lightfoot, ■*  "seem  to  assign  to  the 
sex  a  higher  social  influence  than  is  common  among  the  civilized  nations  of  antiquity.  In 
not  a  few  instances  a  metronymic  takes  the  place  of  the  usual  patronymic,  and  in  other 
cases  a  prominence  is  given  to  women  which  can  hardly  be  accidental.  But,  whether  I 
am  right  or  not  in  the  conjecture  that  the  work  of  the  gospel  was  in  this  respect  aided  by 

»  "  Expositor,"  Feb.,  1885.  »  "  On  Philippians,"  page  56. 


10     INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS. 


the  social  condition  of  Macedonia,  the  active  zeal  of  the  women  in  this  country  is  a 
remarkable  fact,  without  a  parallel  in  the  apostle's  history  elsewhere,  and  only  to  be  com- 
pared with  tbeir  prominence  at  an  earlier  date  in  the  personal  ministry  of  our  Lord." 

Like  the  sister  church  at  Philippi,  it  had  sprung  up  amid  persecution.  Expressions 
in  both  letters  to  the  Thessalonians  show  that  the  persecuting  activity  of  their  enemies 
continued  after  the  apostle's  departure.  It  could  hardly  be  otherwise.  The  number  of 
Jews  was  probably  larger  than  in  any  other  Macedonian  city,  and  their  malignity  was 
unrelenting.  Thus  the  church  was  from  the  very  first  a  suffering  church,  to  whom  "it 
had  been  granted"  not  only  to  believe  on  Christ,  "but  also  to  suffer  in  his  behalf"  The 
praise  of  its  fidelity  and  its  heroism  speedily  went  abroad  among  all  the  churches  of  the 
empire.  The  Saviour's  message  to  the  church  at  Smyrna  is  strikingly  applicable  to  the 
case  of  the  Thessalonians,  and  reads,  indeed,  like  a  summary  of  the  apostle's  letter  at 
this  time :  "  I  know  thy  tribulation,  and  thy  poverty  (but  thou  art  rich),  and  the  blas- 
phemy of  them  which  say  they  are  Jews,  and  they  are  not,  but  are  a  synagogue  of  Satan. 
Fear  not  the  things  which  thou  art  about  to  suffer."     (Rev.  2  :  8,  9,  Rev.  Yer.) 

We  come  now  to  an  inquiry  equally  important  for  our  insight  into  the  inner  life  of  the 
church,  and  for  the  proper  understanding  of  the  letters  addressed  to  it ;  namely,  as  to  the 
basis  of  its  faith.  The  letters  assume  an  instructed  faith,  a  more  or  less  fully  developed 
body  of  Christian  teaching  ;  in  other  words,  a  theology.  Now  what  was  the  elementary 
theology  that  the  church  had  received — the  doctrinal  basis  of  its  faith  and  life?  The 
epistles  themselves  have  been  made  to  deliver  one-sided  testimony  on  this  point ;  they 
have  been  interpreted  as  didactic  and  theological  documents,  rather  than  as  personal, 
casual  letters, — quite  perversely,  as  will  appear  evident  when  we  come  to  consider  their 
occasion  and  object.  The  inquiry  must  take  into  account  other  sources  than  the  letters 
alone,  and  is  a  necessary  requisite  to  a  proper  understanding  of  their  contents. 

It  is  apparent,  from  the  account  in  Acts,  that,  on  entering  Thessalonica,  Paul  took  as 
his  main  theme  the  supremacy  of  the  slain  and  risen  Jesus — of  him  who  had  been  proven 
l)y  his  death  and  resurrection  to  be  the  Christ-king  of  prophecy.  The  two  letters  also  dwell 
upon  a  second  theme — the  Parousia — Christ's  return  to  pronounce  judgment  upon  his 
foes  and  to  establish  his  kingdom.  On  these  considerations  is  founded  the  theory  that 
the  religion  of  the  Thessalonian  Church  at  this  period  was  a  "Messianic  Christianity." 
It  is  supposed  not  only  that  their  faith  was  rudimentary  as  regards  their  conscious  appro- 
priation of  the  gospel  (Paul  refers,  in  the  third  chapter  of  the  First  Epistle,  to  what 
"was  lacking"  in  this  respect),  but  that  the  gospel  message  itself  as  delivered  to  them 
was  of  a  peculiarly  Messianic  type  ;  that  they  had  but  one  article  of  fiiith, — Jesus  is  the 
Messiah, — with  emphatic  stress  laid  upon  his  promised  return.  To  serve  God  and  to  await 
his  return  from  heaven — these  were  "the  two  poles  of  their  Christian  life."  ^ 

This  view  bases  itself  mainly  upon  the  observed  contrast  between  the  doctrinal  topics 
of  these  two,  and  of  the  subsequent  epistles  of  Paul,  especially  Romans  and  Galatians, 
but  including  First  and  Second  Corinthians.  In  what  he  writes  to  the  Thessalonians,  the 
apostle  does  not  once  mention  the  law,  nor  allude  to  the  hopeless  bondage  of  the  soul 
under  its  dominion.  The  reign  of  grace  and  the  glories  of  the  new  free  life  in  Christ  are 
not  dwelt  upon.  In  fact,  according  to  Sabatier,  Paul  had  taught  them  nothing  more  than 
what  he  terms  "primitive  Paulinism."  "The  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  began,  like  the 
others,  by  preaching  the  impending  judgment  of  God,  and  portraying,   as  did  John 

*  See  Immer,  "  Theologie  des  Neuen  Testaments,"  1877,  page  217. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS.     11 


the  Baptist,  the  wrath  to  come."'  Professor  Jowett  has  supported  this  view  at  some 
length.^  He  finds  allusions  in  the  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians  to  a  change  in  the  apostle's 
teaching.  In  the  earlier  stage  of  his  miuistrj%  his  conceptions  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
clothed  themselves  in  the  traditional  imagery  of  Judaism.  It  is  to  this  stage  of  his 
experience  that  he  refers  when  he  writes  :  "  Even  though  we  have  known  Christ  after  the 
flesh,  j'et  now  we  know  him  so  no  more."  (2  Cor.  5  :  IG,  Rev.  Ver.)  Thus  the  church  in 
Thessalonica  had  received  from  him  a  Judreo-Ciiristiau  gospel  ;  and  this  is  the  phase  of 
Christianity  which  is  reflected  in  the  First  Epistle.  Jowett  even  seems  to  suppose  that, 
when  Paul,  in  his  letter  to  the  Philippians  (4  :  15),  refers  back  to  "the  beginnitig  of  the 
gospel,"  he  has  in  mind  this  rude  and  undeveloped  type  of  Christian  doctrine  ;  that, 
within  the  four  or  five  years  after  the  writing  of  First  Thessalonians,  and  before  either 
First  or  Second  Corinthians  was  written,  he  had  broken  away  from  these  trammels,  and 
attained  to  larger  and  more  spiritual  conceptions. 

There  are  others  who  would  scarcely  assent  to  the  principles  of  interpretation  followed 
by  the  above  critics,  but  who,  notwithstanding,  admit' this  theory  of  a  marked  and  notable 
progress  in  doctrine  on  the  part  of  the  Apostle  Paul  during  the  interval  in  question. 
Principal  Edwards,  in  the  Introduction  to  his  Commentary  on  First  Corinthians,  writes : 
''Daring  the  four  or  five  j'ears  that  have  elapsed,  few  stirring  events  have  occurred.  The 
apostle  has  spent  a  large  portion  of  the  time  at  Ephesus,  with  Apollos  for  his  companion. 
AVhether  the  influence  of  Alexandria,  or  closer  acquaintance  with  Greek  ideas,  or  his  own 
insight,  gave  him  the  clue,  the  result  is  the  growth  of  a  peculiar  theology,  which  mainly 
rests  on  the  conception  of  a  mystical  union  between  Christ  and  the  believer.  Never  for 
a  moment  wavering  in  his  belief  in  the  supernatural  facts  of  Christianity,  which  have 
brought  to  pass  so  great  a  revolution  as  the  conversion  of  the  persecutor  into  an  apostle, 
and  always  acknowledging  their  authority  over  his  spirit,  he  has  at  length  discovered  a 
principle  that  will  explain  their  inner  meaning,  transform  his  hopes  of  the  speedy  return 
of  Christ  in  his  kingdom  from  earthly  to  spiritual,  and  render  love  to  Christ — not  a  short- 
lived afl"ection  or  a  mere  feeling  of  thankfulness,  but  an  undying,  holy  well-spring  of  zeal 
and  absolute  consecration  to  the  service  of  the  living  and  glorified  Jesus,  into  communion 
with  whom  he  has  entered,  and  from  whose  abiding  presence  he  derives  all  grace.  In 
short,  the  difference  between  the  two  Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians  and  the  less  simple  and 
j)athetic,  but  more  profound,  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians,  lies  in  the  new  conception  that 
sustains  the  keenly  philosophical  reasonings  of  the  apostle  in  the  latter  concerning  Christ, 
whom  he  knows  no  more  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit."' 

To  allow  this  position  is  to  put  the  interpretation  of  the  two  epistles  before  us  on  a 
false  footing.  For  we  have  to  do  not  merely  with  the  explicit  doctrinal  teachings  of  two 
or  three  paragraphs,  but  with  the  terms  and  phraseolog.v  employed  by  the  ajiostle 
throughout  them  both.  If  the  church  and  its  teacher  were  still  in  the  swaddling  clothes 
of  a  "Messianic  Christianity,"  the  letters  take  on  a  different  tone — the  force  of  the  words  is 
other  than  it  has  usually  been  considered,  and  even  the  ethical  j)recepts  belong  to  a  different 
plane  of  Christian  thought.  The  question  is  not  merely  the  historical  one  as  to  the  status 
of  one  or  more  of  the  apostolic  churches  at  a  gi^en  epoch ;  it  is  indispensably  requisite  to 
the  elucidation  of  these  two  first  documents  from  the  hand  of  Paul  that  they  be  viewed 

1  Sabatier,  "L'Apbtre  Paul,"  1881,  page  93. 

2  "Epistles  of  St.  Paul,"  18.59. 

sPrincipal  Edwards,  "Commentary  on  First  Corinthians,"  Introd.,  page  xix.;   »ee  also 
Farrar,  ''Messages  of  the  Books,"  pages  185,  186. 


12     INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS. 


against  the  proper  background — that  background  of  faith  and  doctrine  which  may  reason- 
ably be  presupposed  in  the  persons  addressed. 

It  is  difficult  to  see  how  the  above-mentioned  view  can  be  held  without  impugning 
the  historical  authority  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  reconstructing  the  entire  narrative 
of  Paul's  missionary  life.  The  apostle  was  not  now  in  the  beginning,  but  in  the  middle 
of  his  missionary  careei".  In  A.  D.  52,  when  .he  entered  Thessalonica,  he  had  been 
preaching  the  gospel  for  fifteen  or  sixteen  j^ears.  He  had  founded  churches  in  Cilicia 
and  in  Central  Asia  Minor.  In  his  first  preaching  at  Antioch,  in  Pisidia,  he  emphasized 
the  distinctive  truths  of  the  Pauline  gospel  :  "  Ee  it  known  unto  you  therefore,  brethren, 
that  through  this  man  is  proclaimed  unto  you  remission  of  sins  :  and  by  him  every  one 
that  believeth  is  justified  from  all  things,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law 
of  Moses."     (Acts  13  :  38,  39,  Rev.  Ver.) 

But,  turning  from  Acts  to  the  later  epistles,  there  we  find  equally  convincing  testi- 
mony. The  Gralatian  churches  had  been  founded  before  Paul  came  to  Philippi  and  Thes- 
salonica. In  writing  to  the  Galatians,  he  gives  no  hint  that  he  is  presenting  to  them  a 
phase  of  the  gospel  in  any  wise  difierent  from  that  which  he  had  first  taught  them,  or 
even  an  advance  upon  previous  teaching.  He  defends  the  gospel  that  he.  Jiad  preached 
among  them.  (1  :  11.)  He  relates  his  controversy  at  Antioch  with  Peter,  which  is  prob- 
ably to  be  placed  before  the  second  missionary  journey,  and  thus  before  the  foundation 
of  the  Galatian  churches.  He  had  made  known  to  them  the  crKciJitd  Jesus  and  the 
"message  o^  faith''  (3:1,  2)  ;  he  reminds  them  that  they  had  "  begun  in  the  Spirit," 
not  "in  the  flesh."  In  other  words,  the  doctrine  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  is  not 
an  outgrowth  of,  or  an  advance  upon,  his  preaching  in  the  year  51  or  52,  but  a  re-affirma- 
tion and  vindication  of  it. 

Again,  in  writing  to  the  Romans  five  or  six  years  subsequent  to  the  foundation  of  the 
Thessalonian  Church,  Paul  expresses  his  gratitude  to  God  that  the  Roman  Church  had 
accepted  his  exposition  of  the  gospel:  "But  thanks  be  to  God  .  .  .  that  ye  became 
obedient  [the  context  implies  at  the  time  of  their  conversion]  to  that  form  of  teaching 
whereunto  ye  were  delivered."  (Rom.  6:17.)  The  "form"  referred  to  denotes  "the 
distinct  expression  which  the  gospel  had  received  through  Paul  ";  see  Meyer,  De  Wette, 
Philippi,  Godet.  It  is  the  "form"  of  that  gospel  whose  free  individualism  and  high 
spirituality  he  is  engaged  in  expounding  in  chapters  six  to  eight  of  the  Epistle.  Now 
these  Romans  are  not  addressed  as  recent  converts  ;  if  the  faith  of  this  large  and  widely 
known  Christian  community  was  known  to  be  of  this  type,  it  certainly  was  not  in  conse- 
quence of  some  recent  change.  It  is  only  reasonable  to  infer  that  this  had  been  the. 
Christianity  taught  at  Rome  for  at  least  several  years. 

Not  to  pursue  this  inquiry  farther,  we  assume  that  the  Thessalonian  Church  had 
already  been  taught  the  essential  principles  of  what  Paul  called  his  gospel — taught,  that 
is  to  say,  as  fully  as  his  brief  sojourn,  and  the  limited  capacities  of  his  converts,  permitted. 
He  had  to  them,  as  to  the  Corinthians,  preached  Christ  crucified,  as  their  righteousness, 
their  sanctification,  and  their  final  redemption.  Compare  1  Cor.  1  :  30.  That  which  is 
expounded  in  Romans  as  the  central  truth  of  the  Christian  system,  is  in  First  and  Second 
Thessalonians  implied  as  its  central  truth — namely,  the  vital  union  of  the  believer  with 
Christ,  a  union  already  established  and  to  be  perfected  in  eternity. 

Of  the  history  of  the  church  subsequent  to  these  epistles,  the  New  Testament 
furnishes  little  or  no  trace.  The  probability  that  he  visited  it  on  various  occasions,  both 
before  and  alter  the  Roman  imprisonment,  has  already  been  referred  to.     Several  of  its 


INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS.     13 


members  became  active  participants  in  the  apostolic  missionary  work.  Jason  is  not  after- 
ward mentioned,  unless  he  be  supposed  to  be  identical  with  the  apostle's  kinsman  who 
sends  salutations  from  Corinth  to  the  Roman  Church.  (Rom.  J  6  :  21.)  Gaius  and 
Secundus  were  assistants  of  Paul  in  his  third  missionary  journej'.  Aristarchus  also, 
who  accompanied  Paul  on  the  same  journey,  has  honorable  mention.  He  and  Gaius  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  mob  that  gathered  in  the  great  theatre  at  Ephesus.  In  Colossians 
4:10,  he  is  named  by  the  apostle  as  his  "  fellow  prisoner,"  having  become,  it  would 
seem,  a  voluntary  sharer  of  Paul's  exile  and  captivity. 

III.   OCCASION  AND  OBJECT. 

The  letter  itself  explains  the  immediate  occasion.  After  his  departure  from  Thessa- 
lonica,  the  welfare  of  the  newly  formed  church  had  been  constantly  on  the  apostle's 
heart.  He  made  two  attempts  to  return — each  in  vain;  "Satan  hindered"  him.  (2  :  18.) 
From  Athens  he  sends  Timothy  back  to  comfort  them,  establish  them  more  firmly  in  the 
faith,  and  bring  report  of  their  state.  He  himself  soon  goes  from  Athens  to  Corinth, 
and  there  awaits  the  return  of  Timothy  from  Thessalonica,  and  of  Silas  from  Berea,  or 
some  other  of  the  Macedonian  churches.  The  interval  was  one  of  those  periods  of 
"distress  and  affliction"  (3:7)  which  seem  often  to  have  characterized  the  experience 
of  the  apostle,  particularly  during  these  more  active  and  laborious  years  of  his  missionary 
career  ;  similar,  perhaps,  to  a  subsequent  experience  in  Macedonia,  of  which  he  speaks  in 
2  Cor.  7:5:  "  For  even  when  we  were  come  into  Macedonia,  our  flesh  had  no  relief,  but 
we  were  afflicted  on  every  side  ;  without  were  fightings,  within  were  fears.  Nevertheless, 
he  that  comforteth  the  lowly,  even  God,  comforted  us  by  the  coming  of  Titus."  While 
he  is  in  this  state  of  depression,  Timothy  arrives,  bringing  relief  and  joy.  He  is  tlie 
bearer  of  good  news  from  the  Thessalonians — of  their  faith  and  love,  of  their  affection 
for  Paul,  and  of  their  steadfastness  in  persecution.  This  was  comfort  indeed  ;  "unto  the 
upright  there  ariseth  light  in  the  darkness."  The  "  even  now  "  of  3  :  6  shows  that  this 
was  the  occasion  on  which  the  letter  was  written,  immediately  after  Timothy's  arrival 
He  obeys  the  impulse,  seizes  the  hour  of  his  own  revived  hope  and  courage,  and,  sending 
back  cheer  and  uplifting  to  the  hearts  whence  it  had  come  to  himself,  writes  this  inspir- 
ing exhortation. 

The  writer's  object  is  equally  manifest.  He  writes  for  the  same  reason  that  he  had 
sent  Timothy  before,  for  the  same  reason  that  he  would  now  have  come  himself— he  is 
with  them  "in  heart,"  and  can  "no  longer  forbear"  (2  :  17,  seq.);  he  desires  "to  comfort 
them  concerning  their  faith,"  "to  estabhsh  "  them,  "to  perfect  that  which  was  lacking 
in  their  feith."     (3:2,  10.) 

The  effect,  when  read  in  the  church  at  Thessalonica,  can  easily  be  imagined.  Paid's 
generous  praise  and  recognition  of  their  fidelity ;  the  winning  unreserve  with  which  he 
takes  them  into  his  confidence  ;  his  ardent  affection  to  them  personally  ;  and  his  inspiring 
tone  of  courage  and  hope — all  this,  as  well  as  the  closing  words  of  instruction  and  kindly 
admonition,  would  enkindle  the  like  ardor  and  zeal,  and  arouse  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
little  community  to  the  highest.  The  natural  tendency  of  expositors  to  lay  stress  on  the 
didactic  element  has  thrown  the  personal  and  historical  substance  of  the  Epistle  into  the 
background,  and  the  reader  is  liable  to  pass  rapidly  over  the  early  chapters  as  if  they 
were  merely  introductory  to  the  writer's  main  theme.  The  Epistle  is  classified  as  "e.scha- 
tological,"  and  the  fourth  and  fifth  chapters  are  regarded  as  the  body  of  it.  "The  main 
object  of  the  apostle  in  writing  this  Epistle,"  says  Bishop  Ellicott,  "can  easily  be  gathered 


14     INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS. 


from  some  of  the  leading  expressions;  it  was  designed  alike  to  console  and  to  admonish," 
etc.;  see  the  whole  paragraph  in  the  Introduction  at  the  beginning  of  his  excellent  gram- 
matical commentary  on  the  Greek  text.  Dr.  SchaiF  summarizes  the  Epistle  thus  :  "The 
theoretical  theme  :  The  Parousia  of  Christ.  The  practical  theme  :  Cliristian  Hope  in  the 
Midst  of  Persecution  "  '  But  neither  the  didactic  nor  the  admonitory  motive  furnishes 
the  key  to  the  letter.  The  instruction  given  concerning  the  Parousia  is  principally  a 
reminder,  in  order  to  remove  misapprehension  concerning  instruction  previously  given. 
The  ethical  precepts  are,  for  the  most  part,  repetitions  of  his  previous  oral  exhortations. 
Both  these  hortatory  portions,  moreover,  belong  to  the  closing  section  of  the  letter, 
introduced  by  "Finally";  this  conjunction,  as  EUicott  properly  says,  "marks  the  transi- 
tion to  the  close  "  of  the  Epistle  ;  it  indicates  that  he  had  now  written  what  it  was  his 
principal  object  to  say.  An  ethical  motive,  indeed,  pervades  the  entire  letter ;  but  it  is 
partly  unconscious,  and  finds  expression  in  but  few  direct  precepts.  It  aims  higher.  A 
letter  will  be  Paul's  other  self,  and  do,  in  part,  what  he  wished  to  do  in  person  :  promote 
mutual  knowledge  and  confidence  between  himself  and  the  church,  develop  the  self- 
consciousJiess  of  the  church  as  a  body,  and  animate  it  with  his  own  holy  ambition. 

IV.   GENERAL  CHARACTER  AND  CONTENTS. 

1.  We  ate  to  remember^  Jirst  of  all,  that  it  is  a  letter — a  genuine  letter  in  motive  and 
mhstance,  as  well  as  in  form.  "All  the  writings  of  Paul  which  have  come  down  to  us," 
says  Reuss,  "are  not  only  in  the  epistolary  form,  but  are  actual  letters  addressed  to  par- 
ticular and  definite  readers."  Some  of  them,  however,  are  of  a  more  general  character 
than  others.  The  Epistles  to  the  Romans  and  Colossians  were  addressed  to  churches  that 
he  had  never  visited.  The  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  is  supposed  to  have  been  intended, 
not  for  that  church  exclusively,  but  for  a  circle  of  churches  in  that  region.  Both  the 
Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians  have  the  best  characteristics  of  the  epistolary  style.  The 
true  letter  is  personal,  spontaneous,  vivid.  It  is  born  of  the  moment ;  it  is  the  flash  of 
intelligence  and  feeling  from  soul  to  soul,  aa  in  an  instant  of  electric  contact.  Letters  are 
the  most  personal  of  all  writings ;  their  form  and  texture  allow  the  fullest  revelation  of 
individual  traits.  They  often  of  themselves  constitute  a  biography,  as  in  the  case  of 
Cicero  or  of  Carlyle.  This  significance  depends  not  only  on  the  facts  or  truths  of  which 
they  are  the  vehicle,  but  on  the  weight  and  worth  of  the  writer's  individuality. 

Such  are  Paul's  letters  to  the  Thessalonian  Church.  So  much  is  it  the  custom  to  read 
them  by  chapters,  or  to  resolve  them  into  "lessons,"  or  to  study  them  in  single  "  texts," 
RO  seldom  is  one  of  them  read  at  a  single  sitting  as  one  piece  of  writing,  that  this  prime 
characteristic  needs  the  utmost  emphasis.  This  First  Epistle  is  anything  but  "an  open 
letter"— a  public  tract  in  epistolary  form,  as,  for  instance,  the  once  famous  Junius 
Letters,  or  Pascal's  Provincial  Letters,  nominally  addressed  to  definite  persons,  but  really 
intended  for  a  wider  and  quite  different  public.  It  is  not  a  doctrinal  treatise,  though 
often  so  treated,  and  labeled,  accordingly,  "  Eschatological,"  a  title  which  lends  its  aid 
toward  rendering  both  of  these  two  Epistles  the  least  read  of  the  Pauline  writings. 

"  In  the  study  of  the  Scripture,"  says  Bengel,  "the  reader  ought  to  put  himself,  as 
it  were,  in  the  time  and  place  where  the  words  were  spoken  or  the  thing  was  done,  and  to 
consider  the  feelings  of  the  writer  and  the  force  of  the  words."  Once  back  to  the  time 
and  place,  and  he  has  gained  for  himself  the  interpreter's  true  standing  point  and  centre 

> «'  History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  I.,  page  757. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS.     10 


of  vision,  and  has  more  than  lialf  accomplished  the  interpreter's  task.  The  field  of 
vision,  however,  in  the  case  of  a  real  letter,  hke  an  ellipse,  has  two  centres,  two  times  and 
places — that  of  its  writer  and  that  of  tiie  persons  addressed.  So  he  who  will  for  himself 
"feel  the  force  of  the  words,"  must  take  his  place,  first,  with  Paul  in  Corinth,  and  then 
in  the  assembled  Thessaloniau  Church  when  the  letter  is  read. 

2.  It  IS  a  page  of  Fauls  experience  while  in  Corinth.  We  have  already  seen  how 
erroneous  it  is  to  regard  it  as  marking  a  stage  in  his  theological  development,  or  as 
furnishing  a  transcript  of  his  theology  at  a  given  epoch.  It  is  a  transcript  of  himself 
It  is  a  spontaneous  letter,  struck  off  at  an  hour  when,  to  use  his  own  expression  on 
another  occasion  to  the  Corinthians,  "  his  heart  was  enlarged,"  and  his  soul  flowed  forth 
like  a  river  in  conscious  joy  and  strength.  No  one  of  his  epistles  abounds  in  warmer 
expressions  of  affection.  The  first  three  chapters  glow  with  a  father's  love  ;  nay,  the 
apostle  boldly  likens  his  own  love  to  these  children  of  his  soul  to  a  mother's  yearning 
tenderness  as  she  presses  her  babe  to  her  bosom.  It  is  an  hour,  also,  of  fresh  assurance 
and  courage.  The  contempt  shown  him  at  Athens,  the  disheartening  prospect  in  Corinth, 
were  for  a  moment  forgotten.  His  paralyzing  depression  has  vanished,  and  his  soul  is 
alive  again  (3:8);  he  is  on  heights  of  glory  and  joy.  (2  :  20.)  The  contrast  is  touching, 
between  his  downcast  mood  just  before  and  the  rebound  after  Timothy's  arrival.  Even  at 
the  distance  of  eighteen  centuries  one  can  scarcely  view  without  tears  the  overflowing, 
grateful  joy  of  the  heroic  apostle,  as  he  receives  the  messages  from  his  converts  in  Thessa- 
lonica.     A  man  of  many  enemies,  "  alway  delivered  unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake  " — 

"  Bruised  of  his  brethren,  wounded  from  within  " — 

so  much  the  stronger  was  the  tie  that  bound  him  to  the  souls  he  had  won  for  Christ.  We 
see,  from  such  a  letter,  not  only  how  he  himself  could  love,  but  how  he  prized  and  hun- 
gered for  the  love  that  others  gave. 

3.  It  contains  Paul's  oion  account  of  his  ministry  in  Thessalonica.  This  is  found  in 
the  first  and  second  chapters — the  most  interesting,  perhaps  the  most  instructive,  portion 
of  the  Epistle.  The  reminiscences  are  the  more  valuable,  considered  as  autobiography, 
because  they  seem  not  to  be  written  in  the  way  of  personal  vindication.  They  are  rather 
to  remind  the  church  of  its  glorious  beginning,  and  to  inspire  it  anew  with  his  own  aims 
and  spirit.  His  history  is  in  part  theirs.  It  rehearses  suffering,  conflict,  toil  b}'  day  and 
by  night,  but  a  ministry  wrought  in  power,  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  strong  conviction — 
a  ministry  that  had  not  been  found  "vain." 

4.  It  is  a  picture  from  life  of  a  newly  formed  Gentile  church  in  the  apostolic  age. 
In  the  earnest  endeavor  of  modern  thought  to  realize  to  itself  the  true  character  of  primi- 
tive Christianity,  a  document  like  this  is  of  inestimable  value — second,  in  this  respect, 
only  to  the  Corinthian  Epistles.  Its  testimony  is  the  more  valuable  from  its  being  a 
casual  production,  so  slightly  dogmatic,  and,  in  its  retrospect,  so  recent.  We  get  glimpses 
into  the  interior  of  a  society  of  Christian  believers  which  has  just  separated  itself  from 
Pagan  fellowship,  as  well  as  from  the  synagogue  of  Jews,  and  to  which  the  new  life  is 
gradually  giving  form  and  character.  The  heaven-born  principle  of  faith  working  by  love 
has  already  begun  to  produce  the  fruit  of  righteousness,  not  only  transforming  individual 
life,  but  organizing  its  diverse  and  antagonistic  elements  till  they  are  already  one  body  in 
Christ.  In  truth,  it  is  a  spectacle  of  thrilling  interest— this  church  in  the  fresh  beauty  of 
its  first  love.  It  is  "m  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  It  has  evidently,  like  the  Galatian 
Church,  "begun  in  the  Spirit."     Each  member  has  received  the  Holy  Spirit  (compare 


16     INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS. 

1  :  6  ;  4:8);  still  more,  some  have  received  his  charismatic  gifts,  for  the  church  has  its 
prophets.  (Compare  5  :  20.)  Its  ideals  of  duty  are  not  yet  the  highest,  as  regards  either 
the  individual  or  the  church.  It  has  its  special  temptations,  as  has  already  been  ob- 
served. Especially  is  it  suffering  the  fiery  trial  of  persecution,  and  tempted  to  think 
some  strange  thing  has  happened  to  it.  But  thus  far  its  escutcheon  is  unstained  by 
apostasy ;  it  is  steadfast  in  the  Lord — a  church  of  faith,  of  love,  above  all,  of  hope. 
This  last — "queen  of  the  virtues,"  as  Chrysostom  calls  it — is  the  jewel  that  shines 
brightest  in  its  diadem.  It  confronts  its  foes  clad  in  the  breastplate  of  faith  and  love, 
and  helmeted  with  hope — the  hope  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  time,  the  hope  of  the 
Saviour's  appearing. 

5.  Its  doctrinal  section  (4  :  13-5  :  11)  treats  of  Christ^ s  second  coming.  It  forms  but 
a  small  part  of  the  Epistle  (about  a  sixth),  and  is  chiefly  designed  to  recall  instructions 
previously  given.  Even  here  the  explicitly  doctrinal  element  is  but  slight.  Some  of  the 
church  were  in  distress  lest  their  friends — believers  who  had  recently  died — should  not 
arise  from  the  dead  in  time  to  share  the  glories  of  the  Lord's  coming.  On  this  point 
Paul  gives  assurance  and  comfort,  declaring  in  unmistakable  terms  that  the  Christian  dead 
should  arise  hefore  the  saints  who  might  then  be  alive  should  gather  to  meet  the  Lord. 
The  other  points  are  scarcely  more  than  re-affirmations  of  our  Lord's  own  teaching  to  his 
disciples  before  his  crucifixion  and  his  ascension.  The  "Day  of  the  Lord,"  as  in  Old 
Testament  phraseology  he  terms  the  time  of  Christ's  return,  cannot  be  definitely  pre- 
dicted. It  will  come  suddenly  ;  it  will  come  unexpectedly  ;  it  will  come  with  terror  to  the 
enemies  of  God.  Although  himself  evidently  under  the  personal  impression  that  the 
Parousia  was  not  far  off,  and  would  probably  come  within  the  lifetime  of  some  then  living, 
he  nevertheless  refrains  from  affirming  this,  or  in  any  way  suggesting  it  as  a  matter  of 
faith.  He  shows  that  the  chief  significance  of  the  doctrine  is  its  practical  significance. 
It  teaches  spiritual  vigilance  and  sobriety.  The  decree  of  God  hath  appointed  them  to 
salvation  ;  it  is  theirs  to  watch  and  wait  until  his  salvation  be  revealed. 

6.  The  fourth  and  fifth  chapters  are  principally  ethical.  There  are  a  number  of 
specific  precepts — terse,  pointed,  and  evidently  adjusted  with  accuracy  to  the  immediate 
needs  of  the  church.  Especially  characteristic  are  the  injunctions  regarding  chastity, 
industry,  order,  and  subordination  in  church  relations,  constant  joy  and  unceasing  prayer, 
recognition  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  presence  and  work — the  latter  particularly  in  respect  to 
the  deliverances  of  those  who  had  the  gift  of  prophecy.  Here  occurs  the  memorable 
exhortation  "to  be  quiet,  to  do  your  own  business,  and  to  work  with  your  hand";  and 
parallel  with  it,  in  the  Second  Epistle,  "If  any  will  not  work,  neither  let  him  eat.  For 
we  hear  of  some  that  walk  among  you  disorderly,  that  work  not  at  all,  but  are  busybodies. 
Now  them  that  are  such  we  command  and  exhort  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  that  with 
quietness  they  work,  and  eat  their  own  bread." 

"  Few  persons,  perhaps,  have  remarked  how  significant  this  style  of  exhortation  is  of 
a  new  world  and  a  new  order  of  ideas.  For,  in  spite  of  ultra- democratic  appearances, 
there  was  in  Greek  society  an  ultra-aristocratic  spirit  in  its  mo.st  evil  form — the  ultra- 
aristocracy  of  culture  as  well  as  of  social  position.  As  regards  the  former,  tradesmen  and 
mechanics  were  held  to  be  incapable  of  true  philosophy  or  spiritual  religion  or  refined 
thought.  As  regards  the  latter,  one  of  the  worst  influences  of  slavery  was  the  discredit 
which  it  threw  upon  free  labor,  and  all  the  smaller  forms  of  commerce.  Aristotle  treats 
with  cold  cynicism  everything  of  the  sort.  Tli*  tradesman  or  mechanic  is  but  a  higher 
kind  of  slave, — differing  from  him  in  kind,  not  in  degree,^ — bearing  the  same  relation  to 


INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS.     17 

the  public  which  the  slave  bears  to  the  individual.  To  do  any  Work  which  marks  or  curves 
the  body  ;  to  live  upon  daily  pay  ;  to  be  connected  with  the  detail  of  fabrications,  or  with 
sales  in  the  public  markets — this  was  to  degrade  a  freeman,  and  io  plebeian ize.  his  spirit  as 
well  as  his  body.  Such  were  the  ideas  of  Aristotle,  who  knew  Macedonia  so  well,  and 
had  lived  iu  it  so  long — such  the  ideas  which  were  in  the  very  air  of  Tliessalonica  wheu 
St.  Paul  wrote  his  epistles.  It  is  full  of  significance  that  the  first  apostolic  epistle  speaks 
out  so  boldly  and  earnestly  upon  the  dignity  and  becomingness  of  industry,  the  nobility  of 
working  with  our  own  hands,  though  they  may  be  blackened  by  the  work — the  duty  of 
preferring  our  own  coarse  bread,  wou  by  the  sweat  of  our  brow,  to  the  precarious  food  of 
the  beggar,  or  the  ignominious  luxury  of  the  parasite.  This  was  one  great  social  and 
moral  result  of  the  message,  which,  if  its  origin  was  in  God's  eternal  counsels,  came  from 
a  carpenter's  shop,  and  was  published  by  a  company  of  fishermen,  among  whom  a  tent- 
maker  of  Tarsus  had  obtained  admission." 

But  the  Epistle,  as  a  whole,  is  ethical.  It  is  the  ethical  motive  that  gives  tone  to  the 
earlier  as  well  as  to  the  later  chapters.  One  desire  evidently  controls  the  writer :  the 
desire  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  readers,  that  he  may  "establish  their  faith" — in 
other  words,  that  he  may  strengthen  and  develop  their  Christian  character.  But  he  relies 
less  upon  precepts  and  instruction  than  upon  the  impact  of  his  own  personality.  He 
takes  them  into  his  spiritual  embrace.  He  points  them  to  his  own  example.  He  will 
transfuse  their  souls  with  his  own  vitality  and  enthusiasm.  It  is  evident  how  perfectly  he 
apprehends  the  nature  of  his  task  as  a  moral  teacher.  High  attainments  in  character  are 
possible  only  through  energetic  effort ;  there  must  be  an  arousal  of  spiritual  ambition  and 
enthusiasm.  But  the  effort  must  be  directed  to  the  highest  moral  ends;  clearly  conceived 
ideals  are  prerequisite  to  the  highest  excellence.  Thus  the  apostle  sedulously  seeks  to 
correct  and  to  perfect  their  conceptions  of  the  life  that  is  in  Christ.  It  is  a  fundamental 
misconception  of  the  scope  of  the  Epistle  to  regard  it  as  pointing  only  or  chiefly  to  a 
Messianic  deliverance.  It  points  upward  to  higher  ideals  of  character,  and  not  merely  for- 
ward to  a  final  redemption.  There  is  a  deliverance  from  sin  to  be  striven  for  now,  as  well 
as  a  deliverance  from  wrath  to  be  attained  hereafter.  God  calls  them  to  be  holy  here. 
Much  stress,  it  will  be  observed,  is  laid  upon  sanetification  and  holiness.  God's  will  and 
purpose  is  their  sanetification— the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  not  less  truly  their  work. 
Thus  the  general  drift  of  the  Epistle  allies  it  very  closely  to  that  written  to  the  Philippians 
about  ten  years  later.  There  are  many  points  of  contact  between  the  two.  Indeed,  the 
latter  is  a  constant  commentary  upon  the  earlier  letter,  containing,  as  it  does,  a  richer 
development  of  the  same  ethical  ideas.  Its  keynote,  as  has  often  been  said,  is  ho2^e.  It 
is  thus  a  message  from  Christ  to  the  suffering  Christian  and  to  the  suffering  church  in  all 
ages.  As  to  his  people  under  the  Old  Covenant,  so  here,  under  the  New,  he  speaks  "to 
her  heart"  (compare  Hosea  2  :  13)  words  of  unspeakable  comfort  and  cheer  in  the  midst 
of  conflict  or  distress  or  temptation — to  the  heart  of  a  man  in  the  tones  of  a  man.  And 
the  supreme  comfort  to  his  people  will  ever  lie  in  "the  promise  of  his  coming."  What 
has  well  been  said  of  the  Apocalypse  applies  to  each  of  these  epistles.  "It  calls  the 
Church  to  fix  her  ej'es  more  intently  upon  her  true  hope.  For  what  is  that  hope?  Is  it 
not  the  hope  of  the  revelation  of  her  Lord  in  the  glory  that  belongs  to  him  ?  No  hope 
springs  so  eternal  in  the  Christian  breast.  It  was  that  of  the  early  Church,  as  she  be- 
lieved that  he  whom  she  had  loved  while  he  was  on  earth  would  return  to  perfect  the 
happiness  of  his  redeemed.  It  ought  not  to  be  less  our  hope  now.  '  Watching  for  it, 
waiting  for  it,  being  patient  unto  it,  groaning  without  it,  looking  for  it,  hasting  unto  it' — 

B 


18     INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THESSAL0NIAN8. 


these  are  the  phrases  which  the  Scripture  uses  concerning  the  day  of  God.  And  surely 
it  may  well  use  them,  for  what,  in  comparison  with  the  prospect  of  such  a  day,  is  every 
other  anticipation  of  the  future?  "  * 

7.  Anali/sis.  It  readily  divides  into  two  portions  :  chapters  1-3,  Personal  and  Retro- 
spective ;  chapters  4,  5,  Hortatory  and  Didactic.    Topically,  it  may  be  divided  as  follows  : 

1:1,  Address  aud  Salutation. 

1  :  2-10,  Grateful  recollection  of  their  steadfist  hope. 

2  : 1-16,  Review  of  his  ministry  in  Thessalonica. 

2  :  17-3  :  13,  Assurance  of  affection,  desire  to  visit  them,  Timothy's  mission,  prayer 
in  tlieir  behalf 

4:1-12,  Exhortations  to  chastity  and  love. 

4:  13-5  :11,  The  Parousia. 

5  :  12-28,  Closing  exhortations,  and  Benediction. 

1  Milligan,  "  Revelation  of  St.  John,"  page  191. 


THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  TO  THE  THESSALONIAJ^S. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PAUL,  and  Silvanus,  and  Timotheus,  uQto  the  church 
of  the  Thvs»alouianit  which  is  in  (jod  the  Father, 
and  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  Grace  fee  unto  you,  and 
peace,  from  Grod  our  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


1  Paul,  and  Silvanus,  and  Tiraotliy,  unto  the  church 
of  the  Thessaloiiians  in  God  the  Father  and  the  Iiord 
Jesus  Christ:  Grace  to  you  and  peace. 


Ch.  i  :  1.  Address  and  Salutation. 

1.  Paul.  It  was  Greek  and  Roman  usage  for 
the  writer  of  a  letter  to  put  his  name  at  the  be- 
ginning, insteadof,  as  is  our  custom,  atthech)se. 
Next  came  the  name  of  the  person  addres.sed, 
then  the  .saiuUxtion.  Thirteen  of  the  epistles 
of  the  New  Testament  begin  with  '  Paul.'  The 
title  prefixed  in  our  printed  editions  formed, 
of  course,  no  part  of  the  original  document; 
the  opening  sentence  of  each  letter  formed  its 
only  title. 

Silvanus  and  Timotheus.  The 'Silvanus' 
of  this  letter  is  the  Si  las  of  Acts  15  :  22,  and  other 
subsequent  pa?.«ages  in  that  book.  He  was  one 
of  the  three  whose  arrival  at  Thessalonica  with 
the  gospel  message  Luke  has  recorded  in  Acts 
17.  His  part  in  New  Testament  history  is 
known  to  us  chiefly  in  connection  with  the 
council  at  Jerusalem,  and  the  second  mission- 
ary journey  of  Paul.  A  Hellenistic  Jew,  it 
would  seem,  from  his  name,  and  as  appears 
from  Acts  16  :  37,  a  Romsin  citizen.  He  was  a 
prophet,  and  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  Jerusa- 
lem church. 

Timothy  was  Paul's  own  "son,"  in  the  faith, 
converted  at  Lystra,  his  native  place,  about 
seven  j-ears  previous  to  the  writing  of  this 
letter.  From  the  time  of  his  ordination  until 
the  close  of  the  period  embraced  in  the  book 
of  Acts,  he  appears  to  have  been  the  almost 
constant  companion  of  the  apostle.  Various 
interesting  glimpses  of  his  person  appear  in  the 
two  letters  addressed  to  him  by  Paul.  Thej' 
are  associated  by  Paul  in  his  salutation,  but 
not  as  joint  authors  of  the  letter.  The  apostle 
writes  independently,  as  will  be  seen  from 
2:  18,  and  the  openingof  chapter  3.  Compare 
also2The8S.  2- 5  and  3:  17. 

Unto  the  church  of  the  Thessalonians, 
which  is  in  God  the  Father  and  in  the 
liOrd  Jesns  Christ.  The  word  rendered 
'church'  {iKK\r,iTia)  did  not  of  itself,  at  this 
period,  denote  a  Christian  body.  It  was  simply 
equivalent  to  "assembly"  or  "  congregation." 


Tliis  "  congregation  of  Thessalonians"  (no 
article  in  the  original  before  the  name  Thes?a- 
lonians)  is  therefore  described  as  being  'in 
God' — 'in  Christ'  The  latter  qualif3'ing 
phrase  would  particularly  distinguish  them 
from  the  synagogue,  or  any  other  association 
of  Jews,  that  was  to  be  found  in  Thessalonica. 
But  the  Pagans  also  had  their  assemblies  and 
associations,  religious,  political,  and  .social. 
One  or  another  of  these  various  societies, 
guilds,  or  fraternities  might  'also  be  desig- 
nated in  the  same  Greek  word;  the  phrase- 
ology of  this  address  individualizes  the  Thes- 
salonian  Church  as  distinct  from  all  these. 
Both  the  Christian  Church,  and  its  members 
individually,  are  declared  by  the  Scriptures  to 
be  in  Christ. '  Compare  2  :  14 ;  4  :  16.  The 
phrase  is  especially  frequent  in  Paul's  later 
epistles.  They  are  in  spiritual  organic  union 
with  Christ,  as  set  forth  by  Christ  himself  in 
his  parable  of  the  vine  and  the  branches,  in 
the  fifteenth  chapter  of  John. 

Grace  be  unto  you,  and  peace.  We 
have  here  the  apostolic  epistolary  salutation 
in  the  earliest  and  simplest  form  found  in  the 
New  Testament.  The  Epistle  of  James, 
though  written  earlier  than  this,  simply  em- 
ploys the  usual  Greek  greeting.  I'aul's 
epistles  all  open  with  the  salutation  above,  or 
an  expanded  form  of  the  same.  It  seems 
indeed  to  have  been  the  inspired  coinage  of 
the  apostle  himself,  suggested,  it  may  well 
have  been,  by  the  Aaronic  benediction  that  he 
had  been  wont  from  childhood  to  hear  from 
priestly  lips,  in  temple  and  synagogue.  We  are 
scarcely  warranted,  however,  in  considering  it 
a  modification  of  the  former,  as  Otto  and  others 
have  argued.  The  Roman,  in  writing,  wished 
his  reader  health  (sahts);  the  Greek  uttered 
as  his  best  wish— ;;Vi.v  (xaipetv — to  rejoiee) ;  the 
Hebrew,  peace  ^Q'hlil),  meaning  prosperity, 
well-being.  The  Pauline  salutation  is  con- 
ceived from  a  point  of  view  distinctively 
Christian.     Beautiful  in  form,  it  is  peculiarly 

19 


20 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


2  We  give  thanks  to  God  always  for  you  all,  making 
nifiition  of  you  in  our  prayers; 

3  Kemembering  without  ceasing  your  work  of  faith, 


2  We  give  thankx  to  God  alwnys  for  you  all,  making 

3  mention  of  you  in  our  prayers;  reiueniberiug  with- 
out ceasing  your  work  of  faith  and  labour  of  love 


full  and  rich  in  meaning:  "May  God's  grace 
flow  in  upon  you,  and  may  his  peace  be  in 
you!"  'Grace'  is  God's  redeeming  love — 
the  divine  favor  as  manifested  toward  sinful 
man  in  and  through  Christ.  'Peace'  is  the 
beatific  effect  of  that  grace  in  the  soul  of  the 
believer — the  inward  harmony,  the  peaceful 
well-being,  produced  by  the  Spirit  of  grace. 
As  compared  with  the  greeting  that  was  cur- 
rent in  his  da3' — the  greeting  ordinarily  pre- 
fi.\ed  to  letters,  Paul's  salutation  is  expanded 
in  form ;  is  of  larger,  richer  import ;  and  is 
substantially  a  prayer,  not  a  mere  wish.  The 
remainder  of  the  verse,  as  found  in  the  Com- 
mon Version,  From  God  our  Father,  and 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  formed,  it  is  prob- 
able, no  part  of  the  original  text,  though  form- 
ing a  part  of  the  salutation  in  Rom.  1 :  7,  and 
elsewhere.  But  the  salutation  itself  turns  the 
thought  of  its  readers  at  once  to  him  who  is 
alike  "the  God  of  all  grace'"  (iPeter5:io)  and 
"  the  God  of  peace."  (Roni.i5:33.)  As  in  the 
beginning,  so  also  at  the  close  of  the  Epistle, 
the  writer  invokes  grace  upon  the  church. 
See  note  there. 

2-10.  Grnteful  Recollection  of  the  Stead- 
fast Hope  in  Christ  which  has  characterized 
this  Church.— We  thank  God  for  your  faith, 
your  love,  and  especially  for  your  hope, 
assured  as  we  are  of  your  divine  election 
to  eternal  life.  Your  joy  amid  affliction, 
and  your  faith  toward  God  have  already 
made  your  life  eloquent  for  Christ  throughout 
both  the  provinces  of  Greece  and  in  other 
lands.  You  are  known  as  men  who  are  await- 
ing our  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  return  from 
heaven. 

2.  We  give  thanks  to  God  always  for 
you  all.  '  We,'  obviously  the  persons  named 
in  the  salutation,  Paul,  andSilvanus,  and  Timo- 
theus.  Piml  is  the  writerof  the  letter,  but  here 
and  several  times  afterward  speaks  in  the 
name  of  his  two  companions.  Many  exposi- 
tors, Chrysostom,  Conybeare,  and  others,  im- 
dorstand  the  plural  to  refer  only  to  Paul  him- 
self. But  it  is  not  his  style  to  use  the  plural 
in  designating  himself;  the  use  of  the  literary 
'we'  was  rarer  among  ancient  writers  than 
modern.  Tlie  only  instances  (at  least,  that 
seem  clearly  to  be  such)  in  which  Paul  uses 


this  plural  are  in  2:  18,  and  3 : 1  of  the  pres- 
ent Epistle,  and  each  of  these  is  sufficiently 
explained  from  the  context.  Here  it  would 
be  quite  arbitrary  to  disconnect  this  verb 
from  the  authors  of  the  immediately  preced- 
ing joint  salutation.  For  you  ail.  Paul's 
thanksgiving,  in  the  case  of  this  church,  em- 
braces its  whole  membership.  There  is  no  in- 
dication in  the  letter  that  there  were  any 
known  to  him  who  would  have  to  be  excepted. 
The  few  months  that  had  elapsed  since  the 
apostle's  departure  had  witnessed  no  feuds  in 
the  church,  no  lapses  from  the  faith  on  the 
part  of  its  members.  A  church  in  the  bright 
beauty  of  its  first  love  !  See  Introduction, 
pages  15,  16.  Making  mention  of  you  in 
our  prayers.  This  clause  is  not  a  mere 
repetition,  nor  is  it  a  needless  addition.  Their 
gratitude  found  articulate  expression  in  their 
prayers.  The  words  suggest  a  practical  les- 
son. We  ought  not  only  to  feel,  but  to  give 
utterance  to  our  gratitude  toward  God,  and  to 
our  aifectionate  remembrance  of  our  brethren. 
"  Prayer  without  words"  will  have  little  sub- 
stance or  vitality.  The  only  method  of  prayer 
recognized  by  some  modern  novelists  is  "  silent 
aspiration,"  apparently  little  else  than  a  vague 
emotional  fervor.  This  will  not  meet  the  ne- 
cessities of  a  Christian's  experience,  and  does 
not  answer  to  the  Scriptural  conception  of 
prayer.  Paul  assures  the  Thessalonian  Church 
that  it  is  constantlj'  and  individually  inen- 
tioned  in  his  prayers. 

3.  Remembering  without  ceasing — or, 
for  vie  call  to  tnind  vnthoiit  ceasing.  Thus  he 
explains  how  natural  and  spontaneous  is  his 
praj'er.  It  springs  of  necessity,  as  it  were, 
from  his  aflfectionate  remembrance.  The  word 
'remembering'  is  often  taken  as  equivalent 
to  "  making  mention,"  asifit  were  but  another 
designation  of  the  prayer  itself.  See  Alford, 
Liinemann.  But  it  means  simply  "remem- 
bering," or  "  calling  to  mind."  See  Grimm, 
Thayer's  "Greek  and  English  Lexicon,  of  the 
New  Testament,"  Ellicott,  and  others.  Your 
work  of  faith,  etc.  In  each  of  these  three 
])hrases  the  second  term  is  the  leading  one;  it 
is  their  'faith,'  'love,'  'hope'  that  are  promi- 
nc^nt  in  the  apostle's  thought.  They  designate 
tho    principles    in    which    the    work,    labor, 


Ch.  I.] 


L  THESSALONIANS. 


21 


and  labour  of  love,  and  patience  of  Impe  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  in  the  sight  of  God  and  our  Father: 

4  Kuowiug,  lirethreu  beloved,  your  election  of  God. 

5  For  our  gospel  came  not  uuio  you  in  word  only, 


and   'patience  of  hope  in   our  Lord   Jesus  Christ, 

4  before -our  God  and  Father;  knowing,  brethren  be- 

5  loved  of  God,  your  election,  ^how  that  our  gospel 
came  not  unto  you  in  word  only,  but  also  in  power, 


1  Or,  sted/aatneaa 2  Or,  God  and  our  Father 3  Or,  became  our  goipel,  etc. 


patience  originate.  'Your  work  of  faith'  is 
the  working,  the  activitj'  of  your  ftiith — that 
moral  conduct  in  whicli  your  faitii  finds  ex- 
pression. It  is  the  work  that  faith  does.  Not 
then  as  Mason  :  "  Ahnost  equivalent  to  a  very 
emphatic  adjective — that  is,  faithful  activ- 
ity." Compare  1  Tim.  6:12.  "The  good 
fight  of  faitli.''  See  also  Cremer,  "  Biblico- 
Theological  Lexicon  of  New  Testament 
Greek,"  third  edition,  page  258.  Labour  of 
love — "the  labor  which  love  undergoes,  a 
love  that  avoids  no  sacrifices  and  shuns  no 
toils  for  the  good  of  others.  Such  as  their  own 
Jason  had  shown  amid  persecutions,  in  Acts 
17."  (Juwett.)  Patience  of  hope  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Better,  "the  stedfast- 
ness  of  your  hope"  (as  recommended  by  the 
American  Revisers),  or  "constancy."  This 
noble  word  {vno/jLovri)  is  frequent  with  Paul.  It 
is  fortitude  in  suffering,  endurance  in  toil  or 
trial;  "  the  queen  of  the  virtues,"  Chrysosto'm 
calls  it.  "Patience  is  the  last  and  highest," 
says  Auberlen  ;  "  riglitly  to  suffer  is  more  and 
harder  tlian  rightly  to  work."  The  persecu- 
tions to  which  theThessalonians  had  been  and 
were  still  exposed  gave  large  room  for  the 
exercise  of  steadfastness. 

Faith,  love,  hape;  this  shining  grace  is  here 
made  last  and  prominent.  Compare  1  Cor. 
13  :  13.  It  is  the  keynote  of  these  two  epistles 
to  the  Thessalonians.  In  this  verse  it  is  speci- 
fied as  tlie  hope  "of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ" — 
that  is,  as  afterward  explained  in  verse  10,  the 
hope  of  Christ's  return.  Nowhere  in  Paul's 
letters  is  hope  made  so  prominent  a  character- 
istic of  the  Christian  life  as  in  this.  Naturallj', 
for  it  was  only  a  few  months  before  that  these 
Greeks  had  been  "  without  hope."  Having  no 
hope  is  a  distinguishing  term  applied  by  Paul 
to  the  heathen.  See  Eph.  2  :  12 ;  1  Thess. 
4  :  13.  God  as  manifest  in  Christ  became  to 
them  pre-eminently  a  "  God  of  hope."  (Rom. 
15 :  13.)  On  the  other  hand,  we  are  told  that  to 
the  Jews  the  gospel  came  bringing  in  "  a  better 
hope."  (Heb.7:i9.)  In  the  sight  of  God  and 
our  Father.  Most  expositors  connect  these 
words  with  the  beginning  of  the  verse,  "re- 
membering without  ceasing."     Those  who  un- 


derstand "remembering"  to  mean  "making 
mention"  (see  note  above),  would  naturally 
adopt  this  interpretation ;  others,  also,  as 
Ellicott,  prefer  it.  But  from  the  position  of 
the  words  it  seems  more  natural  to  connect 
them  with  the  immediately  preceding  phrases : 
'Your  work  of  faith,'  etc.  These  manife.>5ta- 
tions  of  the  Christian  life  of  the  Thessalonians 
are  thus  viewed  in  their  immediate  relation  to 
God;  God  is  made  a  witness  of  tiieir  conduct. 
Compare  3 :  13  ;  Rom.  4 :  17  ;  14 :  22.  The  pas- 
sage is'thus  understood  by  Chrysostom,  Theo- 
doret,  Theophylact;  among  the  moderns  by 
Auberlen,  Jowett,  and  others.  If  this  be  the 
correct  explanation,  the  comma  just  preceding 
the  words  should  be  omitted. 

4.  Knowing,  brethren  beloved,  your 
election  of  God.  The  apostle  continues  to 
amplify  the  main  thought;  his  gratitude  and 
unceasing  remembrance  spring  from  his  as- 
sured confidence  in  their  election,  from  his 
confidence  that  they  have  been  chosen  to 
eternal  life  by  the  electing  grace  of  God.  This 
is  the  chief  ground  and  theme  of  his  gratitude. 
So  also  in  2  Thess.  2:  13.  The  word  rendered 
"election"  (ckAoy^)  occurs  onlj-  seven  times  in 

the  New  Testament  (Acts  9:  15:  Rom. 9:  11;  11  :5,  7,  28; 

2Peieri:io);  the  adjectivc  and  verb  are  more 
frequent.  It  properly  denotes  a  choosing  or 
selecting  of  some  from  among  others  not  thus 
selected.  The  noun  here  is  transitive,  the 
'your'  (Greek,  of  yon)  containing  the  object. 
The  Scriptural  significance  and  implications 
of  the  word  are  given  more  full3'  in  Rom.  9  : 
11-15;  compare  also  Eph.  1:4  with  2  Peter 
1  :  10.  The  present  passage  plainly  assumes  a 
doctrine  of  election,  but  says  nothing  of  the 
extent  or  objects  of  electing  grace  in  general, 
nor  how  it  is  conditioned.  Paul  himself  is 
called  by  our  Lord  "a  chosen  vessel" — liter- 
ally, "a  vessel  of  election." 

5.  For  our  gospel  came  not  unto  you 
in  word  only.  'For,'  the  rendering  of  the 
Common  Version,  is  retained  as  ever^'^  way 
preferable.  See  the  Revisers'  margin,  where 
it  is  "because."  Paul  states  the  reasons  on 
wliich  his  conviction  of  their  divine  election 
chiefly  rests;  first,  "because  he  and  his  com- 


22 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


but  also  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much 
assurance;  as  ye  know  what  manner  of  men  we  were 
among  you  for  your  sake. 


and  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  much  i  assurance ; 
even  as  ye  know  what  manner  of  men  we  shewed 


1  Or,  /ulnest. 


pan ions  were  enabled  to  preach  the  gospel 
among  them  with  such  power,  and  secondly 
(as  in  verse  6),  because  they  received  it  with 
such  joy.'.'  (EUicott.)  Bengel,  Hofnumn, 
Vaughan,  and  others,  with  Luther's  transla- 
tion, and  the  text  of  the  Kevision,  as  above, 
inal<e  the  clause  o6jec^tye,  introduced  by  "how 
that"  or  "that";  it  would  thus  explain  the 
««!*«  re  or  the  resw^^  of  the  "election."  Butin 
favor  of  the  construction  given  above  ('for' 
or  "because")  are  the  great  majority  of  ex- 
positors and  versions,  including:  among  the 
former  De  Wette,  Olshausen,  EUicott,  Al- 
ford,  Pelt,  Liinemann,  Auberlen,  Kiggenbach, 
Eadie.  'Our  gospel' — the  gospel  that  we 
preach,  our  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Not  in 
word  only,  but  also  in  power.  Compare 
1  Cor.  4:20:  "For  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
not  in  word,  but  in  power";  also,  Kom.  1: 
16 :  "  For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel ;  for 
it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,"  etc. 
Here  is  particularly  meant  the  spiritual  Tuight 
and  energy  vnth  ivhich  tlie  gospel  ivns  preached, 
namely,  the  power  manifested  in  the  preachers 
themselves;  not  the  effect  upon  the  Thessa- 
lonians,  as  Jowett.  The  following  words  ex- 
plain the  nature  of  this  power  more  definitely. 
In  the  Holy  Ghost  {Spirit)  and  in  much 
assurance — they  preached  with  conscious 
power,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  was  with  them, 
and  they  experienced  an  overwhelming  con- 
viction of  the  truth  of  their  message.  This 
conviction  of  its  truth  on  their  part  added  to 
the  momentum  with  which  it  penetrated  the 
hearts  of  their  hearers.  The  word  translated 
'assurance'  Cremer  defines  "perfect  certi- 
tude," "  full  conviction."  Compare  Col.  2  :  2; 
Heb.  10  :  22.  As  ye  know— appealing  directly 
to  their  own  recollection;  it  was  only  a  few 
months  before.  What  manner  of  men  we 
were  among  you — literally,  how  we  became, 
or,  we  were,  tovnird  you.  "  He  says  not :  how 
v)e  preached;  but  how  v)e  were;  the  whole 
man  preached."  (Auberlen.)  The  circum- 
stances were  such  as  to  test  their  quality  to  the 
utmost,  as  Paul  shows  in  the  opening  of  the 
next  chapter.  How  he  and  their  companions 
bore  them.selves,  we  shall  there  see  more  fully. 
•Among  you.'     The  Revisers  have  "toward 


you,"  preferring  with  Westcott  and  Hort,  and 
the  uncials  NAC,  as  well  as  the  early  Latin  f,  to 
omit  the  preposition  {iv)  before  the  dative  of  the 
pronoun  which  is  given  in  the  Textus  Receptus 
and  most  editions.  But  a  glance  at  the  Greek 
text  shows  how  easily  the  omission  of  the  pre- 
position would  take  place  from  its  being  iden- 
tical with  the  termination  of  the  preceding 
word.  In  favor  of  the  retention  of  the  prepo- 
sition (and  the  translation  in  Common  Ver- 
sion) are  Tischendorf,  Tregelles,  Alford,  EUi- 
cott, Liinemann,  Eadie,  and  most  others.  For 
your  sake — as  set  forth  in  the  next  chapter, 
that  he  might  gain  them  for  Christ. 

The  above  verses  (2-5)  express  Paul's  thanks- 
giving. All  of  his  letters  to  churches  open 
with  a  similar  expression,  except  that  to  the 
Galatians.  It  would  be  instructive  to  compare 
this  first  one  with  those  which  followed.  These 
thanksgivings  retain  the  same  general  form, 
but  they  are  by  no  means  mere  rhetorical  com- 
monplaces. Each  is  genuine,  fitted  to  the  occa- 
sion, called  forth  by  an  actual  state  of  things. 
In  the  letter  to  the  Romans,  for  instance,  he 
refers  only  to  what  he  had  heard  from  others; 
in  the  first  to  the  Corinthians,  to  that  church  of 
brilliant  gifts,  there  is  no  special  mention  of 
their  mutual  love.  This  letter  to  the  Thessa- 
lonian  Church  opens  most  nearly  like  that 
to  the  Philippians,  written  about  ten  j'ears 
later. 

Bunyan's  experience  in  preaching  furnishes 
an  interesting  parallel  to  that  of  Paul  above 
referred  to  :  "  For  I  have  been  in  my  preach- 
ing especially  when  I  have  been  engaged  in 
the  doctrine  of  life  by  Christ  without  works, 
as  if  an  angel  of  God  had  stood  by  at  my  back 
to  encourage  me.  Oh,  it  hath  been  with  such 
power  and  heavenly  evidence  upon  my  own 
soul,  while  I  have  been  laboring  to  unfold  it, 
to  demonstrate  it  and  to  fasten  it  upon  the 
consciences  of  others,  that  I  could  not  be  con- 
tented with  saying,  'I  believe  and  am  sure'; 
methought  I  was  more  than  sure,  if  it  be  law- 
ful so  to  express  myself,  that  those  things 
which  I  then  asserted  were  true."  ("Grace 
Abounding  to  the  Chief  of  Sinners.") 

6-10.  The  apo.stle's  thought  passes  insen- 
sibly from  the  expression  of  thanks  to  a  fuller 


Ch.  I.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


23 


6  And  ye  became  followers  of  us,  and  of  the  Lord, 
liaviug  received  the  word  in  much  affliction,  with  joy 
ot  tlie  Huly  Ghost: 


6  ourselves  toward  you  for  your  sake.  And  ye  became 
iiiiitalors  of  us,  and  of  'the  Lord,  having  received 
the  word  in  much  alUictiou,  with  joy  of  the  Holy 


statement  of  the  power  of  the  gospel  as  shown 
in  the  conversion  of  his  readers: 

You  made  us  your  model  of  life,  even  as  we 
Christ;  you  were  enabled  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  rejoice  while  environed  by  persecution  ;  thus 
your  church  has  become  an  exami)le  through- 
out Greece,  and  wherever  the  gospel  has  gone; 
men  carry  the  news  far  and  wide  that  you 
have  renounced  idolatr3\  that  you  have  become 
the  obedient  worshipers  of  a  real  and  living 
God,  and  are  now  expecting  the  return  from 
the  skies  of  iiis  son  Jesus. 

6.  And  ye  became  followers  of  us,  and 
of  the  Lord.  Logically,  this  verse  stands  in 
close  connection  witii  the  preceding,  and  states 
the  second  of  tlie  reasons  introduced  by  '  for.' 
Not  only  had  the  gospel  been  preached  power- 
fully,  but  it  had  vjroug/tt  powerful!}'.  Fol- 
lowers. In  the  Revised  Version — bnitntors. 
Paul  taught  his  converts  that  they  were  to  be 
imitators  of  him  as  he  ivas  of  Chrint.  (i  Cor.  ii :  i.) 
To  the  Philippians  he  writes  (*:9):  "The 
things  which  ye  both  learned  and  received 
and  beard  and  saw  in  me,  these  things  do." 
In  2  Thess.  3:9,  he  declares  that  he  adopted 
the  course  of  action  described  in  order  "to 
make  ourselves  an  ensample  unto  you  that  ye 
should  imitate  us."  The  Christian  teacher  is 
bound  to  lay  down  a  similar  precept,  and  to 
live  so  that  he  can.  "  God  was  imitated  by 
Christ  (Joiin 5:19, seq.)  ;  Christ  by  Paul  and  the 
apostles  (icor.  ii:i)  ;  Paul  by  theThessalonians 
and  all  who  so  walked  (Phii.  3:i7),  and  then 
these  imitators  themselves  became  a  pattern 
for  others." 

"As  we  commence  the  missionary,  work 
amongst  a  heathen  people,  not  by  translating 
the  Bible  into  their  language,  but  by  sending 
messengers  to  them  (it  is  not  without  reason 
that  'go,'  iropeueeVTe?,  occurs  in  the  missionary' 
charge,  Matt.  28:19);  so,  in  general,  to  the 
word  of  the  Spirit,  even  the  preached,  audible 
word,  must  still  be  added  the  visible  stamp  of 
the  Spirit  in  living  personalities,  who  show  by 
act  tiie  power  and  glory  of  the  gospel,  and  in 
whom  can  be  seen,  if  the  expression  is  allowed, 
the  holy  arts  of  the  spiritual  walk  —  the 
spiritual  dietetics.  On  this  rests  the  high  im- 
portance of  good  biographies,  and  yet  more  of 
the  living  observation  of  Christian  characters. 


"What  Christian  owes  not  his  best  thanks  to 
such  life-impressions?  For,  indeed,  humanity 
is  so  organized,  and  this  is  its  noble  distinc- 
tion, tiiat  what  is  deepest  rests  ever  on  the  re- 
lation of  person  to  person  ;  the  relation  of 
father  and  child,  of  master  and  disciples  pene- 
trates everywliere."  (Lange.)  Of  the  Lord. 
The  order  of  the  sentence  in  the  original 
shows  that  these  words  form  a  sort  of  appended 
explanation,  as  if  to  obviate  any  misunder- 
standing. In  what  respect,  particularlj',  had 
the  Thessalonians  been  imitators  of  the  apos- 
tles and  of  Christ  ?  The  next  clause  answers  : 
In  their.joyful  endurance  of  aflliction;  in  that 
they  had  received  the  gospel,  though  in  the 
midst  of  fierce  persecution,  with  the  joj'  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  In  much  affliction.  "The 
affliction  of  the  Tliessalonians  dated  back  as 
early  as  their  first  reception  of  the  gospel.  (See 
Introduction,  page  10;  Acts  17:  6.)  Andasthis 
Epistle  incidentally  shows,  continued  both 
while  the  apostle  was  with  them  (ch.  2:h),  and 
after  he  had  left  them.  (cu. 3:2,3.)"  (Ellicott.) 
This  church,  as  well  as  that  at  Philippi,  seems 
to  have  been  plunged  at  once  into  the  flames  of 
persecution.  To  enter  into  the  spirit  of  this  let- 
ter (and  the  same  is  true' of  that  to  the  Phil- 
ippians), one  must  obtain  for  himself  some 
glimpse  of  the  life  which  a  convert  to  Chris- 
tianity would  be  compelled  to  lead.  From 
Acts  we  learn  of  the  sufferings  of  the  first 
preachers  of  the  gospel,  and  it  is  manifest  that 
the  disciple  was  as  the  master  in  this  respect 
also.  See  Pressenses  "  Early  Years  of  Chris- 
tianity ";  the  volume  on  "  Martyrs  and  Apolo- 
gists," pp.  69-76,  for  a  description  of  the  diffi- 
culties and  dangers  to  which  the  hated  and 
suspected  disciples  of  Christ  were  exposed  in 
a  city  of  the  Roman  Empire.  With  joy  of 
the  Holy  Ghost— that  is,  the  joy  produced  in 
the  soul  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is  called  "joy 
in  the  Holy  Ghost"  in  Rom.  14:17,  and  in 
Gal.  5:  22,  joy  is  reckoned  as  "the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit."  "As  a  counterpoise  to  the  world's 
intimidation  and  vexation,  the  Holy  Ghost 
works  this  inward  joy  at  the  prospect  of  an 
everlasting  communion  with  God."  (Auber- 
len.)  Hence  the  constancy  of  their  hope,  of 
which  verse  .3  speaks.  "Sad  but  strong,"  was 
the  motto  of  the  old.  Italian  Colon na  family. 


24 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


7  So  that  ye  were  ensamples  to  all  that  believe  in 
Maceilouia  and  Achaia. 

t>  For  from  you  sounded  out  the  word  of  the  Lord 
not  only  in  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  but  also  in  every 
place  your  faith  to  God-ward  is  spread  abroad ;  so  that 
we  need  not  to  speak  any  thing. 


7  Spirit ;  so  that  ye  became  an  ensample  to  all  that 

8  believe  in  Macedonia  and  Achaia.  For  from  you 
hath  sounded  forth  the  word  of  the  Lord,  not  only 
in  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  but  in  every  place  your 
faith  to  (jod-ward  is  gone  forth ;  so  that  we  need 


"Joyful  and  strong"  is  the  ideal  temper  for 
the  Christian. 

7.  So  that  ye  were  {became)  ensamples. 
According  to  the  preferable  reading  the 
word  is  singular,  and  thus  properly  signifies 
the  example  set  by  the  Church  as  one 
body,  the  natural  and  beautiful  order  of 
things  in  the  development  of  the  organic 
Christian  life.  Those  who  had  imitated  the 
apostles  became  at  once  examples  for  the  imi- 
tation of  others.  Macedonia  and  Achaia 
were  at  this  period  the  names  of  the  two  Ro- 
man provinces  into  which  the  major  portion 
of  ancient  Greece  was  divided.  "  In  the  divi- 
sion of  the  provinces,  made  by  Augustus,  the 
whole  of  Gj-eece  was  divided  into  the  pro- 
vinces of  Achaia,  Macedonia,  and  Epirus,  the 
latter  of  which  formed  part  of  Illyris." 
[Equivalent  to  the  "  Illyricum"  of  Rom.  15  : 
19.]  (Smith's  "Dictionary  of  Greek  and  Ro- 
man Geograpliy."  Article,  "  Achaia.")  Ath- 
ens and  Corinth  were  both  in  Achaia.  The 
province  of  Achaia  included  the  Peloponnesus 
together  witli  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
adjacent  territory  and  the  neighboring  islands 
— most,  indeed,  of  ancient  Hellas  proper.  The 
principal  towns  and  districts  of  the  rest  of 
Greece  were  included  under  the  name  Mace- 
donia. So  far  as  known  to  us  from  Acts,  the 
only  churches  at  this  time  in  Macedonia  were 
those  founded  by  the  apo'stle  at  Pliilippi  and 
Berea;  the  only  ones  in  Achaia  were  those  at 
Athens  and  Corinth.  But  when  the  next 
Epistle  was  written  (see  2  Thess.  1 :  4)  it  is  not 
unlikely  that  churches  had  been  established 
in  the  towns  adjacent  to  Corinth  ;  the  church 
at  Cenchrea  is  mentioned  in  the  letter  to  the 
Romans.  (i6:i.)  Observe  that  this  example 
was  to  all  that  believe.  Christians  need  to 
set  a  good  example  to  one  another,  as  well  as 
to  unbeliever!?.  It  has  been  well  said  that  "it 
requires  higher  grace  and  is  a  more  important 
duty  to  be  an  example  to  believers  than  to  the 
world."  "  Believers"  is  the  name  principally 
given  to  Christians  in  these  two  Epistles,  and, 
indeed,  in  Paul's  writings  genondly 

8.  For  from  you  hath  sounded  out,  etc. 
'From  you' — that  is,  from  among  you.     The 


Greek  word  here  (efijxe'fu)  occurs  nowhere  else 
in  the  New  Testament.  Its  cognate  noun  is 
our  word  echo.  It  strikingly  describes  the  re- 
port that  spread  far  and  wide  from  Thessa- 
lonica— a  ringing  blast  as  of  a  trumpet.  And 
observe,  the  story  of  what  had  taken  place 
among  the  Thessalonians,  not  onlj-  prepared 
the  way  for  the  gospel :  it  was  tlie  gospel ; 
hath  sounded  out  the  word  of  the  Lord. 
On  this  phrase,  'the  word  of  the  Lord,'  see 
note  on  2  Thess.  3:1.  The  thought  of  the 
sentence  is  perfectly  clear,  notwithstanding  a 
slight  irregularity  in  its  logical  form,  occasion- 
ing a  difference  of  punctuation  in  editions. 
Two  separate  thoughts,  as  frequently  in  Paul's 
writings,  are  imperfectly  blended  into  one.  His 
thought  is:  " For  the  word  of  the  Lord  hath 
sounded  forth  from  you  into  Macedonia  and 
Achaia;  and  not  only  in  these  provinces,  but 
abroad  into  every  other  region  j'our  faith 
toward  God  is  gone  forth."  Liinemann  has  an 
elaborate  discussion  of  the  logical  connection. 
In  every  place  your  faith  to  God-ward  is 
spread  abroad.  In  every  place  where  there 
are  Christians  or  Christian  churches,  as  the 
context  implies;  thus,  in  fact,  in  every  quarter 
of  the  Roman  world.  It  is  not  implied  that  the 
apostle  had  been  out  of  Greece  to  know 
whereof  he  affirms.  "Ewald  and  others  call 
attention  to  the  fact  that  precisely  in  Corinth 
where  Paul  wrote  our  Epistle,  witli  trade  con- 
verging there  from  all  quarters  of  the  Roman 
world,  was  it  possible  for  him  to  give  such  as- 
surance. .  .  .  The  words  also  indicate  an 
intercourse  of  the  liveliest  kind  among  the 
Christians."  (Auberlen.)  Your  faith  to  God- 
ward — faith  "toward."  The  preposition  (n-pds) 
indicates  the  direction  of  their  faith,  and  ac- 
cords with  the  description  in  the  following 
verse  of  their  turning  away /rom  idols  toward 
God.  In  New  Testament  phraseology  we  also 
find  faith  ^lpon  (ini)  God  spoken  of  in  Hcb.  6: 
1 ;  Rom.  4  :  5,  24 ;  more  frequently  faith  r?i  God 
or  Christ  (Greek,  e^  or  (U).  So  that  we  need 
not  to  speak  anything.  How  satisfactory 
the  condition  of  that  church  of  which  the  pastor 
need  not  say  anything,  either  to  defend  or  to 
praise  it!  Its  own  life  is  trumpet-tongued. 


Ch.  I.] 


I.  THESSALOXIANS. 


25 


9  For  they  themselves  shew  of  us  what  manner  of 
entering  in  we  bad  unto  yoa,  aud  how  ye  turned  to 
God  from  idols  to  serve  the  living  and  true  Uod ; 

10  Aud  to  wait  for  his  !^on  from  heaven,  whom  he 
raised  from  the  dead,  ecen  Jesus,  which  delivered  us 
from  the  wrath  to  come. 


9  not  to  speak  anything.  For  they  themselves  report 
concerning  us  what  manner  of  entering  in  we  had 
unto  you  ;  and  how  ye  turned  unto  God  from  idols, 

10  to  serve  a  living  and  true  God,  aud  to  wait  for  his 
.Son  from  heaven,  whom  he  raised  from  the  dead, 
eien  Jesus,  who  delivcreth  us  from  the  wrath  to 
come. 


9.  For  they  themselves  shew  of  {report 
concer)dng)  us.   'They themselves' — thatis,  in 
Macedonia  and  Achaia  and  elsewhere,  without 
its  being  neces.*ary  for  us  to  speak  of  it ;  '  con- 
cerning us' — that  is,  Paul  and  Silvanus  and 
Timothy.    So  Ellicott  and  Alford  ;  the  view  of 
LUnemann  and  Auberlen  is  far  less  probable, 
that  it  includes  the  Thessalonians  also,  so  as  to 
embrace  ilie  topic  of  tlie  whole  remaining  sen- 
tence.    What  manner  of  entering  in — that 
is,  how  we  lived  and  preached  among  you,  as 
described  in  verse  5  above,  and  to  be  described 
more   fully  in    the   following  ciiapter;     with 
what  energy  and  spiritual  might  we  preached 
to  3'ou.     And  how  ye  turned,  etc.     Report- 
ing not  merely  the  fact,  but  'how';  they  de- 
scribe what  has  been   going  on  among  you. 
Repentance  and  conversion  are  often  described 
in  Scripture  as  a  turning  to   God,  or,  to  the 
Lord.     See  Acts  15  :  19  and  11:21;  compare 
also  Acts  26:17,  18.     "Delivering  thee  from 
the  people,  and  from  the  Gentiles,  unto  whom 
I  send  thee,  to  open  their  eyes,  that  they  may 
turn  from  darkness  to  light,"  etc.  Their  turn- 
ing  was   'from   idols,'    image-deities — deities 
only  in    form   or  representation.     At  Lj-stra, 
Paul  exhorted  his  hearers  "to  turn  from  these 
vain  things" — that  is,  false  deities,  such  as  Ju- 
piter and  Mercury,  unto  the  living  God.     See 
Acts   14:15.      To  the    Galatians  he   writes: 
"Not  knowing  God  ye  were  in  bondage  to 
them  which  by  nature  are  no  gods."      See 
Gal.  4:8.     Paul  is  evidentlj' addressing  Gen- 
tile converts.     The  .subsequent  tenor   of   the 
Epistle  confirms  the  view  that  the  Thossalonian 
Church  was    mostly    composed    of   converts 
from  Paganism,  and  to  the  same  effect  is  the 
account  in  Acts  of  the  origin  of  the  church. 
Compare  Introduction,  page  8.    To  serve  the 
(a)  living  and  true  God.    Their  idol  deities  | 
were  as  deities  simjily  non-existent,  without 
life,  without  reality.     The  God  to  whom  they 
had  now  turned  was  living,  was  real.     "And 
this  is  life  eternal  that  they  should  know  thee, 
the  only  true  God,"  etc.    (Johni7:3.)    The  word 
rendered  "true"  (aAjjeifd?)  mQwn?.  real,  genu- 
ine, as  opposed  to  that  which   is  pretended, 


which  has  no  real  objective  existence.  'Liv- 
ing' and  'true'  are  especially  frequent  in  the 
Old  Testament,  as  applied  to  God ;  the  Old 
Dispensation  was  chiefly  a  revelation  of  the 
one  true  God,  as  over  against  all  the  false 
deities  of  Paganism.  '  True,'  in  the  sense  of 
truthful,  is  also  applied  to  God  in  John  3  :  33, 
and  elsewhere. 

Paul  specifies  two  characteristics  of  the  new 
religious  life  which  the  Thessalonians  have 
entered  upon,  and  by  which  they  are  distin- 
guished from  their  fellows:  First,  they  have 
become  servants  of  the  one  true  God  made 
known  to  them  in  the  gospel ;  second,  they 
are  waiting  for  the  return  of  Jesus  Christ. 

10.  And  to  Avait  for  his  Son  from  heaven 
— the  prediction  of  Christ's  return  was  an  in- 
tegral part  of  the  gospel  message  as  delivered 
by  the  apostles.  "  I  will  come  again  and  will 
receive  you  unto  myself "  (John  u:  3);  he  "shall 
appear  a  second  time,  apart  from  sin,  to  them 
that  wait  for  him,  unto  salvation."  (Heb.  9:28.) 
This  was  the  constant  posture  of  the  little  band 
of  believer.s— waiting  for  Christ,  looking  for 
the  day  of  the  Lord. 

"  They  each  i"rom  each  took  courajre,  and  with  prayer 
Made  ready  for  the  coming  of  a  king." 

His  personal,  visible  coming  was  a  daily  hope 
and  expectation.  "  Till  he  come  "—how  often 
must  this  priinitive  echo  of  our  Lord's  own 
words  have  been  upon  their  lips  !  "  I  wait  for 
the  Lord,  and  in  his  word  do  I  hope."  (r». 
130:5.)  Intothese  words  of  the  Psalmist  Christ's 
promise  had  put  a  new  meaning,  and  fortified 
the  hearts  of  his  people  with  a  fresh  and  living 
hope.  Paul  had  evidently  laid  special  stress 
upon  this  prophetic  element  in  the  gospel 
during  his  teaching  in  Thessalonica — the  more, 
perhaps,  because  of  persecution  and  other 
environing  spiritual  perils  to  the  church.  It 
is  plain  that  they  on  their  part  interpreted  too 
literally  the  promise  of  a  speed3'  Advent;  in 
the  light  of  subsequent  history  we  bnve  the 
means  of  understanding  the  prediction  some- 
what better,  and  have  less  reason  to  subject 
ourselves  to  the  bondage  of  literalism  in  the 


26 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


interpretation  of  Biblical  prophecy.  Even 
the  apostles  evidently  looked  for  the  final  con- 
summation of  the  kingdom  in  their  own  time, 
though  they  did  not  announce  or  teach  it. 
But  however  mistakenly  these  early 'believers 
in  Thessalonica  (as  so  many  since)  may  have 
fi.ved  the  date  of  fulfillment,  none  the  less  was 
the  promise  a  sure  and  valid  hope,  transfusing 
their  souls  through  the  agency  of  the  Spirit 
with  motives  and  energies  that  Pagan  life 
never  knew.  Jesus  which  delivered  us — 
rather,  who  delivereth  us;  the  participle  has 
its  general,  substantive  force,  and  thus  is  not 
merely  past  in  its  reference,  nor  present  "  is 
delivering,"  but  future  also.  The  following 
words  show  that  the  deliverance  here  promi- 
nent in  the  mind  of  the  writer  was  the  future 
and  final  deliverance  in  "the  day  of  wrath, 
and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God."  See  the  same  participle  in  Kom.  11  : 
26,  cited  from  Isa.  59  :  20.  Vaughan  remarks: 
"The  three  phrases  are  equally  Scriptural  (1) 
Christ  saved,  (2)  Christ  saves,  (3)  Christ  will 
save."  In  illustration  of  the  first  he  cites 
K.mi.  8  :  21;  Eph.  2:5;  2  Tim.  1:9;  of  the 
second,  1  Cor.  1 :  18 ;  15  :  2  ;  of  the  third.  Matt. 
24:  13;  Mark  13  :  13;  Phil.  2  :  12 ;  2  Tim. 
2  :  10;  Heb.  9  :  28;  1  Peter  1  :  5.  The  word 
'  delivereth '  (pvoixevov)  as  distinguished  from 
other  terms  applied  to  Christ's  work,  save,  ran- 
som, or  redeem,  and  others,  describes  it  more 
graphically  as  an  act  of  rescue,  by  an  exertion 
of  power.  It  is  the  same  word  in  the  Lord's 
Prayer  (Matt.  6:  is),  "Deliver  us  from  evil,"  or 
"the  evil  one."  From  the  wrath  to  come 
— 'to  come,'  like  'delivereth,'  is  a  participle 
in  the  Greek,  but  the  English  rendering  gives 
its  proper  force.  The  Speaker's  Commentary 
errs  when  it  says,  that  there  is  "no  tinge  of  the 
future"  in  the  Greek  participle  here — that  it 
"answers  to  the  permanent  government  of 
God  by  punishments."  On  the  contrary,  the 
future  is  its  natural  and  most  frequent  use. 
There  is  a  wrath  future,  as  well  as  a  wrath 
present,  against  sin,  and  the  context  here  re- 
quires the  former  reference.  In  the  first  chap- 
ter of  the  next  epistle  Paul  refers  to  this  out- 
break of  wrath  as  the  antithesis  to  the  believer's 
reward.  Over  against  the  believer's  hope  the 
Scriptures  set  the  unbeliever's  foreboding — 
"a  certain  fearful  exjiectation  of  judgment, 
and  a  fierceness  of  fire  which  shall  devour  the 

adversaries."      (Heb.  lO;  27,  Rev.  Ver.) 


Ch.  2  :  1-16.  Keview  of  his  Ministry 
IN  Thessalonica.— Still  speaking  in  the  name 
of  his  two  companions  as  well  as  himself: 

You  know  the  suffering  and  outrage  we  ex- 
perienced at  Philippi;  yet  we  entered  upon 
our  work  among  you  with  boldness,  though 
met  by  violent  opposition.  Our  teaching  was 
the  truth  of  God,  proclaimed  with  all  honesty 
and  purity  of  motive,  and  with  a  sense  of  per- 
sonal responsibility  to  God  only.  In  our  rela- 
tions with  you  we  were  frank  and  outspoken ; 
we  sought  neither  money  nor  recognition  of 
our  personal  authority;  it  was  a  labor  of  love 
— a  mother's  love;  for  we  were  ready  to  give 
our  own  souls  to  you.  Hence  we  labored  for 
our  own  support  so  as  not  to  burden  you;  and, 
not  only  by  preaching  but  by  example,  we 
sought  to  lead  you  into  the  way  of  a  holy 
Christian  life.  As  a  result,  thanks  to  be  God, 
you  received  our  message  as  an  authentic  word 
of  God — which  indeed  it  is ;  it  became  a  power 
in  you,  transforming  you  into  heroic  witnesses 
for  the  truth,  amid  persecutions  no  less  severe 
than  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of  your  fellow 
churches  in  Judea. 

The  section  expands  the  thought  of  ver.  5  and 
6  in  the  preceding  chapter.  In  ver.  1-12,  which 
correspond  to  ver.  5,  he  shows  how  signally  the 
advent  of  the  gospel  among  them  had  been 
marked  by  manifestations  of  personal  power 
and  confidence  on  the  part  of  the  messengers, 
and  the  presence  in  them  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  in 
ver.  13-16,  which  correspond  to  ver.  6,  he  re- 
peats with  strong  feeling  their  grateful  joy  in 
view  of  the  reception  their  word  met  with,  and 
its  effect  upon  those  who  believe.  The  apostle's 
design  is  not  so  much  vindication  (of  himself  or 
others),  as  commemoration.  It  is  a  reminis- 
cence adapted  to  confirm  faith,  to  kindle  hope, 
to  quicken  and  deepen  the  consciousness  of  the 
church.  For  as  a  church  they  have  a  history, 
brief  (covering  perhaps  not  more  than  six 
months)  but  glorious,  and  one  in  which  there 
is  manifest  the  hand  of  God.  The  retrospect 
fills  his  own  soul  with  joy,  and  with  fresh 
assurance  that  an  enterprise  that  had  had  such 
a  beginning  is  marked  for  success.  Witli  the 
same  joy  and  assurance  he  will  inspire  his 
converts.  Notable  in  this  First  Epistle  is  the 
frank  setting  forth  of  his  aims  and  methods, 
which  also  charactei'izes  the  subsequent  letters 
to  churches  that  looked  to  him  as  their  founder. 
This  earnest,  affectionate  self-disclosure  effectu- 


Ch.  II.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


27 


CHAPTER  II. 


FOR  yourselves,  brethren,  know  our  entrance  in  unto 
you,  that  it  was  not  in  vain  : 
2  But  even   after  tliat  we   liiid  suifered  before,  and 
were  shamefully  entreated,  as  ye  know,  at  Pliilippi,  we 
were  liold  in  our  tiod  to  speak  unto  you  the  gospel  of 
God  with  much  contention. 


1  For   yourselves,  brethren,  know  our  entering  in 

2  unto  you,  tliat  it  tiatli  not  been  found  vain:  but 
having  suffered  before,  and  been  shanielully  en- 
treated as  ye  know,  at  I'liilippi,  we  waxed  l)old  iti 
our  Uod  to  speak  unto  you  the  gospel  of  (jud  iu  much 


ally  anniliilates  whatever  distance  there  might 
be  felt  to  exist  between  himself  and  his  readers, 
binds  their  hearts  to  himself  in  closer  fellow- 
shij),  and  animates  them  with  his  own  spirit. 
H.)wson's  admirable  lectures  on  the  Character 
of  St.  Paul  find  ample  illustration  in  these 
verses ;  especially  the  two  lectures  on  the 
apostle's  "Tenderness  and  Sympathy,"  and 
his  "Conscientiousness  and  Integrity." 

1.  For  yourlselves,  brethren,  know  our 
entrance  in  unto  you.  "  For"  introduces 
an  explanatory  confirmation  of  the  fact  alluded 
to  in  ver.  9,  and  before  in  ver.  5.  "Well  may 
they  tell  the  storj'  of  our  meinorable  appear- 
ance in  Thessalonica,  bringing  the  message  of 
the  gospel,  and  in  this  letter  to  you  we  may 
ourselves  be  allowed  to  dwell  upon  it;  for  you 
yourselves  know  it  all,  and  the  history  is  yours 
too.  The  frequent  appeal  to  their  personal 
knowledge — '^you  know"  and  "you yourselves 
knoiv"  (1:5;  2: 11) — is  natural  in  a  letter  written 
so  soon  after  the  events  referred  to,  when  all 
was  fresh  in  the  memory  of  his  readers.  That 
it  Avas  not  in  vain — or,  "void  of  power"; 
'vain,'  applying  both  to  their  preaching  and 
to  its  results;  it  was  not  feeble,  void  of  earnest- 
ness and  energ}',  nor  was  it  fruitless,  unat- 
tended with  success.  This  latter  is  the  usual 
meaning  of  the  Greek  word  icei-ot  (i  cor.  is :  lo,  58^, 
and  is  understood  to  be  included  in  the  use  of 
the  word  hereby  DeWette,  Pelt,  Vaughan,  and 
others.  Many,  however,  understand  it  as  ref(>r- 
ring  only  to  the  manner  of  their  preaching  and 
work,  that  it  was  not  feeble,  destitute  of  energy; 
soEllicott,  Alford,  Liinemann,  Auberlen.  Of 
some  weight  against  this  interpretation  is  the 
fact  that  the  verb  is  perfect  (vtyo""  having  only 
very  rarely  an  aoristic  sense). 

2.  But  even  after  that  Ave  had  suffered 
before.  The  clause  is  concessive  :  "Although 
we  had  experienced  suflfering  and  outrage." 
At  Philippi  Paul  and  Silas  (the  Silvanus  of 
this  Epistle)  had  been  scourged  with  many 
blows  from  the  rods  of  Roman  lictors,  and 
then  thrown  into  the  inner  dungeon,  chained 
in  the  stocks.  In  Paul's  case  his  Roman  citi- 
zenship had  added  illegality  to  the  outrage. 


Straight  from  these  scenes  of  danger,  of  physi- 
cal i)am  und  exhaustion,  they  seem  to  have 
entered  upon  the  work  in  Tl)es.salonica  with- 
out any  delay.  A  clear  proof  that  Paul  was 
not  the  physical  weakling  described  by  Farrar. 
A  man  constitutionally  nervous  and  of  feeble 
body  could  scarcely  have  taken  the  fatiguing 
land  jouriiej'  of  a  hundred  miles  immediately 
after  an  unusually  severe  Roman  scourging, 
and  then  proceeded  at  once  to  raise  the  stand- 
ard of  the  gospel  in  a  strange  cit^-,  exposed  to 
new  enemies  and  new  persecutions.  We  Avere 
(waxed)  bold  in  our  Gcd.  The  verb  hero 
rendered  'were  bold'  or  ^  waxed  bold'  in  every 
instance  of  its  occurrence  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, except  Acts  18  :  26,  is  used  as  descrip- 
tive of  Paul's  preaching.  The  noun  from 
which  it  is  derived  denotes  "  outsixiken  free- 
dom and  boldness  of  speech  "  ;  Demosthenes, 
akin  to  Paul  in  energy,  intensity,  and  moral 
earnestness,  often  applies  it  to  his  own  speeches. 
'In  our  God,'  from  our  living  union  and  fel- 
lowship with  him;  our  courage  and  strength 
lay  not  in  ourselves,  but  in  God ;  so  to  the 
Philippians:  "  I  can  do  all  things  in  him  that 
strengtheneth  me."  The  gospel  of  God — 
that  is,  of  God  as  the  author  and  sender  of  the 
message.  See  Rom.  1  :  1,  2;  "the  gospel  of 
God  which  he  promised  afore  by  his  propliets," 
etc.  The  gospel  is  thus  designated,  ver.  8,  9 
below,  also  Mark  1  :  14  (Revised  Text),  1  Peter 
4  :  17,  and  in  several  other  passage.?.  See 
Cremer,  p.  82.  The  gospel  of  Christ,  on  the 
other  hand  (3:2)  refers  to  the  subject  or  theme 
of  the  message— that  is,  the  good  news  of  the 
salvation  by  Christ.  With  much  contention, 
or,  conflict.  Here,  as  in  Phili])j)i,  they  were  be- 
set bj-  difficulties  and  dangers  and  by  fresh  foes. 
His  bitterest  enemies  were  the  Jews.  They  met 
the  progress  of  the  gospel  with  malignant,  re- 
lentless opposition  at  ever3'  step.  Of  inward 
conflict,  as  in  his  ministry  at  Corinth,  nothing 
seems  to  be  said  here;  compare  2  Cor.  7:5; 
"without  were  fighting.s,  vnthin  were  fears.' ^ 
3.  The  following  verses  (3-12)  are  explained 
by  Auberlen  as  designed  to  counteract  mis- 
representations of  enemies.      But  of  such   a 


28 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


3  For  our  exhortation  was  not  of  deceit,  nor  of  un- 
cleanuess,  uor  in  guile: 

4  Bui  as  we  were  allowed  of  God  to  be  put  in  trust 


3  conflict.    For  our  exhortation  is  not  of  error,  nor  of 

4  imcleanness,  noi  in  guile:  but  even  as  we  have  been 
approved  of  God  to  be  intrusted   with  the  gospel. 


motive  there  is  no  trace.  It  was  the  presence 
of  opposers  within  the  church  tliat  called  forth 
such  self-vindications  as  we  subsequently  find 
in  Galatians  and  Corinthians.  In  Thessa- 
lonica,  fortunately  for  the  young  church,  its 
enemies  were  outside  of  it.  Paul's  object,  and 
so  it  is  understood  by  Calvin  and  the  majority 
of  commentators,  in  these  earnest,  aftectionate 
reminiscences  addressed  to  these  new,  ignorant 
converts,  is  rather  to  interpret  to  them  his 
own  work,  and  the  gospel  method  generally. 
For  our  exhortation,  etc.  "For"  in  its 
very  common  introductory  use,  wlien  one  be- 
gins a  fuller  statement  or  explanation  of  some 
thing  that  has  been  said.  Many  writers  omit 
any  such  connecting  link,  but  Paul  (in  this 
respect  a  true  Greek  in  his  style)  usually  in- 
serts it.  'Exhortation' — that  is,  our  preaching 
of  the  gospel.  The  original  word,  both  verb 
and  noun  (wapaKaAfo)  and  TrapaxATjo-i?)  is  one  of 
rich  and  varied  meaning.  The  noun,  mean- 
ing a  "summons"  or  "entreaty,"  is  in  Paul's 
vocabulary  rather  an  "animating  appeal"  or 
"charge,"  as  of  a  leader  to  his  followers,  a 
snldierto  his  comrades.  The  word  itself  throws 
a  flood  of  light  on  the  characteristic  features 
of  the  apostolic  preaching,  and  especiallj^  upon 
the  preaching  of  the  great  apostle  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, to  which  the  word  is  oftene>t  applied  in 
the  New  Testament.  It  was  eminently  di;;- 
conrse  with  power — power  to  penetrate  the 
heart  with  its  warning,  consolation,  and  en- 
couragement, to  arouse  out  of  indifference,  and 
to  overcome  the  resistance  of  the  will.  The 
word  is  used  for  one  of  the  specific  "spiritual 
gifts"  mentioned  in  1  Cor.  14  :  3.  Barnabas 
was  a  "son  of  exhortation,"  as  his  name  sig- 
nified; see  Acts  4  :  3G,  Kevised  Version.  "We 
should  be  wrong  in  supposing,  nor  is  it  sug- 
gested by  this  word,  that  Paul's  preaching  was 
deficient  in  the  element  of  instruction.  "Warn- 
ing every  man  and  teaching  every  man,"  he 
says  in  Col.  1  :  28;  "by  manifestation  of  the 
truth  commending  ourselves  to  every  man's 
conscience."  (2Cor.  4:2.)  It  was  f\ir  enough  from 
being  mere  hortatory,  persuasive  appeal,  such 
as  depended  mainly  for  its  effect  upon  aroused 
feeling.  Instruction  was  from  first  to  last  a 
prominent  feature  of  his  ministry.  But  in  the 
word  by  which  he  here  and  often  d(?scribes  his 


preaching  of  the  gospel  we  have  pictured  to  us 
somewhat  of  the  directness,  personal  force,  and 
spiritually  "living"  quality  (Heb. 4: 12) by  which 
in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Paraclete  himself 
he  guined  men  for  Christ.  Was  not  of  deceit 
{error)  nor  of  uncleanness,  etc.  Our  preach- 
ing does  not  originate  in  a  delusion  of  which 
we  are  the  victmis — it  is  "  the  gospel  of  God  " 
— nor  yet  in  impure  motives,  nor  do  we  use 
'deceit'  in  ensuring  its  success.  We  have  not 
surrendered  ourselves  to  delusion,  nor  are  we 
seeking  for  selfish  ends  to  ensnare  others  in 
delusion.  It  is  a  question  whether  'unclean- 
ness' here  refers  to  unchaste  aims  or  to  im- 
pure, unworthy  motives  generally,  especially 
ambition  and  covetousness.  In  that  age  of  sen- 
suality the  priestly  attaches  of  many  of  the 
Pagan  temples  not  only  led  corrupt  lives,  but 
were  well  known  as  the  panders  to  the  foulest 
vice.  Such  also  was  the  character  of  many 
of  the  wandering  magi  and  sorcerers.  "  Of 
these  are  they  that  creep  into  houses  and  take 
captive  silly  women  laden  with  sins,  led  away 
by  divers  lusts."  (2  Tim.  3:6.)  But  it  is  probable 
that  it  is  used  in  the  general  sense  of  moral 
impurity,  as  in  Rom.  6  :  19,  where  it  is  opposed 
to  "  righteousness  '  and  "  sanctification."  It 
then  refers  particularly  to  the  ambitious  and 
covetous  motives  which  he  so  earnestly  dis- 
claims in  ver.  5,  6,  below.  So  most  expositors; 
see  also  Cremer,  "  Biblico-Theological  Lexi- 
con," p.  320. 

4.  But  as  we  Avere  allowed  of  God.  Bet- 
ter, as  in  Revised  Version,  But  even  ns  we  firire 
been  approved  of  God.  'Allowed  '  and  'trieth' 
(in  Revised  Version,  "approve"  and  "prov- 
eth")  in  this  verse  are  the  same  word  in  the 
original.  It  has,  however,  twodistinctly  recog- 
nized senses  :  first  "to  prove,"  "test,"  "exam- 
ine." So  in  the  latter  clause,  "  proveth  our 
hearts,"  and  5:  21,  "prove  all  things."  Second, 
"to  approve,"  after  a  trial  or  examination, 
Phil.  1 :  10  :  "that  ye  may  approve  the  things 
that  are  excellent."  The  word  'allowed,'  of 
the  Common  Version,  in  its  old  English  n)ean- 
ing,  was  synonj'mous  with  "approved."  The 
apostle  in  this  verse  states  two  great  facts  which 
were  ever  present  and  controlling  to  his  con- 
sciousness, and  which  alone  almost  give  us 
the  key  to  his  ministry  ;  first,  he  had  a  divine 


Ch.  II.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


29 


with  the  giispel,  even  so  we  speak;  not  as  pleasing  men, 
but  God,  «h.ch  trieth  our  liearts. 

5  For  ueiiher  at  any  time  used  we  fialtering  words, 
as  ye  know,  nor  a  cloak  of  covetousness ;  UoU  tVs  wii- 
uess: 

li  Nor  of  men  sought  we  glory,  neither  of  you,  nor 


so  we  speak;   not  as  pleasing  men,  but   (iod  who 

5  proveth  our  hearts,     tor  neither  at  any  time  were 
we  found  using  words  of  flaliery,  as  ye  know,  nor 

6  a  cloak  of  covetousness, (jod  is  witness;  nor  seeking 
glory  of  men,  neither  from  you,  nor  from  others. 


commission ;  second,  lie  was  constantly  sub- 
ject to  divine  scrutiny.  On  the  first  point, 
it  is  as  if  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus  were 
ever  ringing  in  his  ears:  "/te  is  a  chosen 
vessel  unto  me  to  bear  my  name,"  etc. 
"  We  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,"  he  says. 
(2  Cor.  5:20.)  As  such  it  is  a  high  and  holy 
trust  with  which  lie  has  been  charged.  We 
bear  the  king's  message,  a  royal  word  of  grace 
to  men.  Hence,  "  Woe  is  unto  me,  if  I  preach 
not  the  gospel."  In  virtue  of  this  trust,  I  am 
debtor  to  all  men,  but  it  is  "for  Jesus' sake"  ; 
it  is  not  my  business  to  be  pleasing  men. 
For — and  this  is  the  second  great  fact — it  is 
God,  which  trieth  {proveth)  our  hearts.  I 
am  subject  to  his  scrutiny  ;  his  eye  is  upon  my 
work  ;  it  is  to  him  that  the  final  account  is  to 
be  rendered.  "  Let  a  man  so  account  of  us  as 
of  ministers  of  Christ,  and  stewards  of  the 
mysteries  of  God  ;  ....  he  that  judgeth  me 
is  the  Lord."  See  1  Cor.  4  :  1— t;  compare 
Gal.  1  :  10;  1  Tim.  1  :  11,  seq.  Paul  exem- 
plifies the  spirit  of  King  Richard  the  Second's 
exhortation  to  his  followers,  in  one  of  the 
noblest  senses  in  which  it  can  be  applied : 

"  Ourselves  are  high. 
High  be  our  thoughts." 

The  facts  on  which  he  next  proceeds  to  dwell 
(ill  the  verses  immediately  following)  admir- 
ably confirm  and  illustrate  this  verse. 

5.  For  neither  at  any  time  used  Ave 
flattering  words.  'For,'  use'd  as  in  ver.  3. 
We  had  no  ends  that  we  sought  to  compass  by 
flattery,  no  covetousness  to  cloak.  'Used' 
of  the  Common  Version  represents  the  Greek 
phrase  rather  better  than  the  "  were  we  found 
using"  of  the  Revision;  the  verb  is  not  passive 
in  signification.  On  the  former  point  he  had 
appealed  to  his  readers — as  ye  know;  on 
this  latter  point  the  apostle  solemnly  calls  God 
to  witness.  Nor  (did  we  use)  a  cloak  ot 
covet<»usness — that  is,  n  cloak  for  covetous- 
ness. 'Cloak'  (Greek,  vpo^aai';,  "pretext") 
is  something  put  forward  to  conceal  what  is 
behind  it.  But  for  the  context  it  might  be 
uncertrtin  whether  a  show  of  covetousness  was 
thought  of   as    hiding    something   worse,   or 


covetousness  itself  was  the  thing  to  be  con- 
cealed. Evidently  the  latter  ;  "covetousness" 
stands  in  an  objective  relation  to  the  preceding 
word.  AVe  used  no  cloak  for  covet(jusness ; 
and  that  for  the  reason  that  we  had  no  such 
aim  to  conceal.  We  did  not  u.se  our  preaching 
to  enrich  ourselves.  In  that  age,  as  jierhaps 
in  our  own  age  and  country,  there  could  be  no 
stronger  proof  of  pure,  noble  aims.  Greed  of 
gain  was  a  besetting  sin  of  the  Greeks,  an  evil 
trait  that  had  come  into  offensive  prominence 
after  tliey  lost  their  freedom  and  came  under 
the  Roman  dominion.  Many  of  the  Greek 
teachers  who  came  to  Rome  became  known  as 
ambitious,  greedy  adventurers.  The  peripa- 
tetic Jewisii  magi,  such  as  the  Simon  whom 
Philip  met  in  Samaria,  and  Elymas  whom 
Paul  found  with  Sergius  Paulus,  were  even 
more  rapacious  than  the  Greeks.  In  the  later 
years  of  Paul's  ministry  some  of  the  bitterest 
opposition  he  experienced  came  from  those 
who  were  preaching  the  gospel  with  mercenary 
and  selfish  motives.  Such  are  referred  to  in 
Phil.  1  :  16;  1  :  17,  in  Revised  Version ;  "  but 
the  other  proclaim  Christ  of  faction  (or  more 
accurately  'self-seeking,'  Greek  ipieda)  not 
sincerely,  thinking  to  add  affliction  to  my 
bonds."  That  the  apostle  calls  God  himself 
to  witness  on  tills  point  is  an  indication  of  the 
stress  he  lays  upon  it — of  the  importance  he 
attaches  to  his  being  clean  from  even  a  suspi- 
cion of  gain-seeking  in  his  ministry. 

6.  Nor  of  men  sought  we  glory.  See 
John  5  :  44,  where  Christ  reminds  the  Jews 
that  they  "receive  glory  one  of  another,  and 
the  glory  that  cometh  from  the  only  God  ye 
seek  not."  (Revised  Version.)  The  honor,  the 
approval  that  men  bestow  was  not  what  we 
sought ;  even  your  approval,  with  all  our  love 
for  j'ou,  was  as  nothing  oompjired  with  that  of 
God  who  proveth  our  hearts,  (ver.  4.)  To  the 
Corinthians  Paul  writes  in  a  similar  strain  : 
"  But  with  me  it  is  a  verj' small  thing  that  I 
should  be  judged  of  you  or  of  man's  judgment ; 
yea,  I  judge  not  mine  own  self;  ....  he  that 
judgeth  mo  is  the  Lord."  (i  Cnr.  4:3. 4.)  Nor 
yet  of  others — other  men,  whether  in  Thessn- 
lonica  or  elsewhere.     When  we  might  have 


30 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


yel  of  others,  when  we  luight  have  been  burdeusome, 
as  the  apostles  of  Christ. 

7  But  we  were  gentle  among  you,  even  as  a  nurse 
cherisheth  her  ehildren : 


when  we  might  have  'claimed  authority,  as  apostles 
7  of  Christ.    But  we  were  '^gentle  iu  the  uiidst  of  you, 


I  Or,  heen  burdensome 'I  Most  of  the  auciuut  authorities  read  babes. 


been  burdensome — or,  "though  we  might 
have  been,"  the  clause  heiug  properly  con- 
cessive, as  the  context  clearly  shows.  On  the 
latter  part  of  the  clause  expositors  are  by  no 
means  agreed — namely,  whether  the  phrase  in 
the  original  means  (1)  "to  be  burdensome," 
or  (2)  "to  claim  honor"  or  "authority." 
Compare  the  margin  of  the  Common  Version, 
"used  authority,"  and  of  the  Revised  Ver- 
sion, "claimed  honour."  The  question  is  one 
of  Greek  lexicography  and  the  discussion  of 
it  is  not  here  in  place.  The  latter  of  the  above 
two  interpretations  seems  to  me  the  true  one. 
"Authority"  is  preferred  by  EUicott,  Au- 
berlen,  Grimm  ("  CLavia  Nuoi  Testanie?iti" ) ; 
"honour"  by  Calvin,  De  Wette,  Liinemann, 
Alford.  "Claimed  honour,"  given  in  the 
margin  by  the  English  Revisers,  best  ex- 
presses the  manifest  antithesis  of  the  sentence, 
and  is  strikingly  accordant  with  the  writer's 
course  of  thought;  I  prefer  therefore  to  ren- 
der: when  we  might  have  cinhned  honour ;  ob- 
serve particularly  the  following  words,  as  the 
apostles  of  Christ.  It  is,  moreover,  amply 
justified  by  Greek  usage.     The  thought  then 


is:  As  Christ's  official  messengers  we  might 
have  claimed  deference  to  our  position  and 
dignity;  but  we  did  not  seek  the  kind  of  per- 
sontil  influence  that  depends  on  men's  recog- 
nition of  place  or  power.  Paul's  forbearance 
to  insist  on  a  deference,  or  acknowledgment  of 
superiority  that  was  really  due,  illustrates  par- 
tially his  own  precept  in  Phil.  4:5:  "Let  your 
moderation  {forbearance)  be  known  unto  all 
men."  In  the  word  'apostles'  Paul  includes 
his  two  co-laborers  in  Thessalonica.  Silas  and 
Timothy  were  apostles  in  the  wider  sense  of  the 
word ;  so  both  Paul  and  Barnabas  are  termed 
apostles  in  Acts  14  :  4,  14.  The  term  is  no 
proof  that  Paul  in  this  whole  passage,  though 
using  the  plural,  refers  to  himself  only;  that 
he  is  himself  the  author  of  the  Epistle  ap- 
pears manifestly  as  he  proceeds,  but  thus  far 
he  speaks  for  his  companions  also;  see  vcr.  4, 
"our  hearts,"  and  ver.  8,  "our  own  souls." 

7,  8.  After  describing,  verses  5  and  6,  what 
they  were  not,  the  apostle  goes  on  to  set  forth 
what  the}"^  were,  and  sought  to  be,  among  the 
Thessalonians.  But  we  were  gentle  among 
you.i   Gentleness,  forbearance  to  seek  or  assert 


1  J7Trtot  in  the  Received  Text,  also  in  that  of  the  Re- 
visers, with  Alford,  Tregelles,  Tischendorf.  Westcott 
and  Hort,  with  Lachniann,  read  i-ijTiot,  babes;  Vulgate, 
parviUi.  Both  readings  are  very  old.  The  external 
testimony  is  strongly  preponderant  for  vrfmoi:  X  (Arst 
hand)  B  C  (first  hand)  D  (first  hand)  F  G  and  several 
cursives;  the  Latin,  Memphitic,  Ethiopic  versions;  also 
the  Fathers  for  the  most  part,  though  Clement  and 
Origen  render  divided  witness.  For  iJTrioi:  X  (third 
hand)  A  C  (second  hand)  D  (third  hand)  E  K  L  P  and 
most  cursives;  both  Syriac  versions,  the  Thebaic,  fol- 
lowed by  the  Bashmuric  and  Armenian.  There  are 
thus  first-class  witnesses  for  the  antiquity  of  the  read- 
ing ^5^rlOl)  "gentle,"  though  it  ilmst  be  admitted  that 
the  weight  of  external  authority  is  against  it.  On 
the  other  band,  transcriptional  probability  is  perhaps 
Rligblly  in  its  favor,  since  the  repetition  of  a  letter  is  a 
sufficiently  frequent  phenomenon  when  the  word  thus 
formed  was  more  familiar  to  the  scribe  than  the  one 
rejected.  The  intrinsic  evidence,  however,  comes  in 
with  great  weight  in  favor  of  the  latter,  and  seems 
practically  decisive.  "  Gentle"  is  the  appropriate  anti- 
thesis to  what  has  just  been  disclaimed  in  the  preceding 
verse,  the  assertion  of  bis  apostolic  dignity  or  authority, 
while  in  connection  with  the  following  clauses  it  is  im- 
measurably preferable  to  "babes";   for  tlie  following 


words  (to  the  end  of  verse  8)  are  so  closely  adjoined  as 
evidently  to  be  meant  for  illustration  of  the  term  just 
used.  Dr.  Hort  argues  that  this  "bold  image"  [babes] 
is  preferable  to  "  the  tame  and  facile  adjective  "  [gentle], 
and  he  furnishes  an  interpretation  of  the  preceding 
context  to  answer  to  it:  "  It  is  not  of  harshness  (hat  St. 
Paul  here  declares  himself  innocent,  but  of  flattery  and 
the  rhetorical  arts  by  which  gain  or  repute  is  procured, 
his  adversaries  having  doubtless  put  this  malicious  in- 
terpretation upon  his  language  among  the  Thessalo- 
nians." But  this  is  to  sever  verse  7  from  its  immediate 
predecessor  and  carry  the  connection  further  back. 
Besides,  while  it  is  quite  true  that  Paul  does  not  dis- 
claim "  harshness,"  he  does  disclaim  the  assertion  of 
his  apostolic  rank  in  order  to  compel  deference  or  obedi- 
ence, which  in  other  churches  he  sometimes  found  it 
necessary  to  do;  compare  1  Cor.  4  :  21  ;  2  Cor.  13  :  10. 
Again  the  "bold  image"  [babes]  is  not  only  dissonant 
in  form  from  that  which  follows,  but  expresses  an  alien 
thought.  To  be  a  babe  would  have  been  for  the  purpose 
of  putting  himself  on  their  level  in  understanding; 
this  gentleness  was  something  else— the  compulsion  of 
a  mature  and  powerful  love  brought  to  bear  upon  their 
wills  ;  so  that  we  cannot  at  all  agree  with  A  Lapide, 
that  either  reading  cimes  to  the  same  thing.  "  Further," 
Dr.  Hort  continues,  "the  phrase  iv  ixiaf  xiy.i>v  exactly 


Ch.  IL] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


31 


8  So  being  affectionately  desirous  of  you,  we  were 
willing  to  have  imparted  unlo  you,  nut  the  gospel  of 
God  only,  but  also  our  owu  souls,  l>eeau»e  ye  were  dear 
unto  us. 

9  For  ye  remember,  brethren,  our  labour  and  travail : 


8  as  when  a  nurse  cherislietli  her  own  children:  even 
so,  being  atl'eelionaleiy  desirous  of  you,  we  were 
well  pleased  to  imparl  unto  you,  not  the  gospel  of 
God  only,  but  also  our  own  souls,  because  ye  were 

9  become  very  dear  to  us.    For  ye  remember,  bfelUreu, 


authority,  is  put  in  contrast  with  the  self-seek- 
ing and  self-assertion  just  disclaimed.  Compare 
2  Tim.  2  :  2-t:  "And  the  Lord's  servant  must 
not  strive,  but  be  gentle  toward  all."  These 
are  the  only  two  instances  of  the  use  of  this 
word  (^irio?)  in  the  New  Testament.  In  the 
Kiiemish  translation  of  the  Latin  Vulgate: 
"But  we  became  children"  (instead  of  gentle) 
etc. ;  and  so  in  many  texts  and  versions.  But 
this  reading  mars  the  beauty  of  the  compari- 
son, and  can  only  be  ticcepted  on  overwhelm- 
ing evidence.  One  can  liardly  agree  with 
A  Lapide,  that  both  readings  really  come  to 
the  same  thing.  See  critical  note.  Even  as 
a  nurse  cherisheth  her  children.  It  is  not 
easy  to  decide  whether  this  clause  is  to  be 
joined  immediately  to  the  preceding  or  the 
following.  By  the  Common  and  the  Revised 
Versions,  and  by  Lillie,  it  is  punctuated  as 
belonging  to  the  preceding.  But  most  com- 
mentators understand  ver.  8  as  the  second 
member  of  the  comparison  begun  in  ver.  7. 
If  so,  whatever  the  punctuation,  it  is  prefer- 
able to  make  the  longer  pause  after  "in  the 
midst  of  you,"  the  shorter  after  "children": 
as  when  a  nurse  cherishes  her  own  children,  so, 
etc.  Thus  the  rest  of  the  sentence  furnishes  an 
illustration  and  expansion  of  the  first  clause. 
Paul's  converts  were  his  children;  he  looks 
upon  them  with  the  unutterable  tenderness  of 
a  mother  gazing  into  tlie  face  of  the  child  at 
her  breast.  In  one  other  passage  (ghi.  4:i9)  he 
uses  the  same  figure  to  express  his  affection 
for  the  souls  God  had  given  him;  elsewhere 
he  compares  himself  to  a  father.  See  ver.  11 
below;  1  Cor.  4:15;  Philemon  10.  So  being 
affectionately  desirous.  The  Greek  does 
not  require  "even  so."  The  clause  should  be 
separated  by  a  comma  only  from  the  preced- 
ing, the  'so'  corresponding  to  the  foregoing 
"as."  The  word  rendered  'being  affection- 
ately desirous'  occurs  onlj"^  here  in  the  New 


Testament.  It  means  "to  love  tenderly,''  "to 
have  a  fond  aflection  for."  We  were  will- 
ing (pleased)  to  have  imparted  unto  you. 

The  rendering  of  the  Revised  Version  is  better, 
"  We  were  well  pleased,"  not  merely  '  we  were 
willing,'  but  "we  were  glad,"  "were  cheer- 
fully ready."  Our  own  souls— better,  "our 
own  lives,"  which  is  the  rendering  preferred 
by  Davidson,  Lijnemann,  Vauglian,  and  by 
the  lexicons  of  Crenier  and  Thayer.  It  tends 
only  to  confusion  of  thought  to  attach,  with 
EUicott,  a  deeper  meaning  than  "life"  to  the 
Greek  word  ('pv^v)  in  this  and  similar  connec- 
tion. It  does  not  mean  "our  lives  and  souls, 
our  very  existences."  Compare  Matt.  20:  28; 
John  10  :  11,  15,  17;  and  other  similar  pas- 
sages in  which  the  Revisers  have  properly 
(as  they  have  not  done  in  this  case)  rendered 
"  life.'"  Such  labor  as  the  apostle's  in  and  for 
the  church  was  reall3'  an  iinpurtation  of  his 
life.  Health  and  energy  and  life  were  given 
out  constantly  in  his  preaching  and  his  suffer- 
ings from  persecution,  along  with  exhausting 
manual  labor  day  and  night.  To  use  his  ex- 
pression in  Phil.  2  :  17,  he  was  pouring  out  his 
life  as  a  drink-offering  upon  tlie  sacrifice  and 
service  of  their  faith.  And  wh}-?  Because 
ye  were  (become)  dear  to  us — because  of 
the  love  we  bore  you  ;  the  word  '  dear'  might 
be  rendered  beloved;  in  the  original  it  is  the 
adjective  derived  from  the  word  rendered 
"  love."  In  reading  these  verses  belonging  to 
the  earliest  of  Paul's  recorded  words,  we  begin 
already  to  feel  the  sweep  and  swell  of  that 
Christlike  love,  whose  tide  rolls  on  with  gather- 
ing force  through  to  the  end  of  his  ministry. 
His  thought  is  a  tide  freighted  with  divine 
truth,  but  impelled  by  an  energy  more  resist- 
less than  logic,  the  fervent,  passionate  love  of 
a  great  heart. 

9.   For  ye   remember.     Confirmation    of 
the  general  fact  dwelt  upon  in  the  preceding 


suits  vriffiot,  and  would  be  an  unlikely  periphrasis  for 
ei«  u^io?  with  ^JTiot."  But  there  is  no  apparent  reason 
for  considering  the  phra.sc  a  periphrasis  for  t'i<:  vixat. 
The  force  of  Dr.  Ilort's  suggestion  lies  wholly  in  the 
assumption  that  ^moi  is  ordinal ily  transitive,  requiring 
to  be  supplemented  by  an  objective  word  or  phrase.  On 
the  contrary,  it  is  in  most  instances  used  absolutely.    If 


any  objective  supplement  were  employed,  it  would  rather 
be  irpbt  ti/Lta9,  as  in  2  Tim.  2  :  24,  than  «is  «/*«.  But 
ijjrtoi  quite  as  suitably  as  mijitioi  may  be  followed  by  the 
prepositional  adjunct.  There  arc  few  passages  in  which 
the  entire  context  so  manifestly  prefers  one  reading  to 
another. 


32 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Cii.  11. 


for  labouring  night  and  day,  because  we  would  not  be 
cbargealile  unto  any  of  you,  we  preached  uuto  you  the 
gospel  of  (jod. 

10  Ye  are  witnesses,  and  God  also,  how  holily  and 
justly  and  unblameabiy  we  behaved  ourselves  among 
you  that  believe : 

11  As  ye  know  how  we  exhorted  and  comforted  and 
charged  every  one  of  you,  as  a  father  dolh  his  children. 


our  hibour  and   travail:    working  night   and   day, 
that  we  might  not  burden  any  of  you,  we  preached 

10  unto  you  tlie  gospel  of  God.  Ve  are  witnesses,  and 
GoU  «/io,  how  bolily  and  righteously  and  imblanie- 
ably  we  behaved  ourselves  toward  you  who  believe: 

11  as  ye  know  how  we  dealt  with  each  one  of  you,  as 
a  father  with  his  own  children,  exhorting  you,  and 


verses,  natnely,  the  spirit  of  love  and  self- 
sacrilice  in  which  they  had  preached  the  gospel 
among  tlie  Thessalouians.  This  is  probably  the 
connection  indicated  by  '  for.'  See  note  on  ver. 
1.  Our  labour  and  travail.  While  the  apos- 
tolic company  were  in  Tliessalonica  they  were 
partly  supported  by  gifts  received  from  the 
recent  converts  at  Philippi;  for  the  rest  they 
depended  on  their  manual  labor — labor  and  toil 
— niglit  and  day;  Paul  refers  again  to  this  fact 
in  almost  the  same  words.  (iTheas.  3:r.)  From 
Acts  18  :  3,  we  learn  that  his  htindicraft  was 
tent  making.  As  some  explain,  tent  cloth  mak- 
ing; or,  rather,  as  is  probable,  the  working  up 
of  haircloth  into  such  articles  as  were  manu- 
factured from  it,  especially  tents.  The  word 
rendered  'working'  is  that  commonly  ap- 
plied to  manual  labor.  Five  years  later  Paul 
speaks  of  this  as  still  his  htibit:  "Even  unto 
this  present  hour  ....  we  labour  working 
with  our  own  hands."  (i  Cor.  ■» :  ii,  12.)  Because 
we  would  not  be  chargeable  unto  (or,  be 
a  charge  upon)  any  of  you.  In  his  letter  to 
the  Corinthians,  among  whom  he  pursued  a 
similar  course,  he  explains  more  fully  his 
motive  in  this  matter.  It  was  "  that  we  may 
cause  no  hindrance  to  the  gospel  of  Christ." 
See  1  Cor.  9  :  7-12.  To  "  cut  off  occasion  from 
them  which  desire  an  occasion  "  {i  Cor.  it  :7-i2) ; 
that  is,  to  silence  misrepresentations  of  his 
own  aims,  as  well  as  to  prevent  others  from 
turning  the  apostolic  office  into  a  money- 
getting  profession.  Compare  also  2  Cor.  12  : 
13-18.  He  was  determined  above  all  things  to 
be  absolutely  free  from  suspicion  of  mercenary 
motives.  Later  on  in  his  ministry  he  showed 
the  same  care,  after  he  began  to  give  much 
attention  to  collecting  money  from  the  Gentile 
churches  for  the  relief  of  their  suffering 
brethren  in  Judea.  We  preached  unto  you 
the  gospel  of  God.  This  three  times  re- 
peated phrase,  'the  gospel  of  God,'  is  not 
redundant.  It  emphasizes  the  significant  ele- 
ment of  their  mission — thtit  which  most  of  all 
marked  their  advent  in  Thessalonica  as  event- 
ful;  they  were  the  bearers  of  ti  proclamation 
from    God.       Compare    ver.    2    above,    and 


ver.  13  below.  We  preached— the  word 
thus  rendered  means  simply  heralded,  pro- 
claimed; it  has  neither  here  nor  elsewhere 
in  the  New  Testament  any  formal,  ecclesi- 
astical sense,  and  denotes  merely  such  procla- 
mation of  the  way  of  salvation,  as  was  in- 
cumbent on  every  believer  according  to  his 
gifts  or  opportunities. 

10.  Ye  are  witnesses,  etc. — earnest  re- 
iteration in  summary  of  what  he  has  just 
been  setting  forth  in  detail — namely,  that  their 
work  in  Thessalonica  had  been  wrought  in 
holiness,  love,  and  fidelity.  Holily  and  justly 
are  terms  that  describe  the  same  c(mduct  in 
two  aspects,  the  former  as  conformed  to  God"s 
character  in  itself,  the  hitter  as  conformed  to 
his  law;  thej"^  are  both  positive;  unblame- 
abiy expresses  the  same  idea  negatively. 
Among  (or,  toward)  you  that  believe.  Al- 
ford,  Liinemann,  and  others  render  "to  you  " 
— that  is,  in  your  view,  but  without  sufficient 
reason.  It  is  sometimes  forgotten  that  the 
utmost  fidelity  in  word  and  deed  is  due  to 
Christians,  as  well  as  to  unbelievers.  Our  ex- 
ample is  potent  for  good  or  evil  in  the  church 
as  well  as  out  of  it. 

11.  As  ye  knoAV  how  we  [dealt  ivith] 
every  {each)  one  of  you.  The  language  of 
this  verse  is  not  grammatically  reguhir;  in 
this  outpouring  of  the  heart,  the  writer  bretiks 
free  from  the  rules  of  colder  speech ;  the 
omitted  verb  (supplied  by  "dealt  with"  in  the 
Revised  Version)  is  naturally  suggested  by  the 
"  behaved  ourselves  "  of  ver.  10.  The  turn  of 
thought  now  naturallj' suggests  a  father's  love 
(as  in  ver.  7,  it  was  a  mother's  to  which  the 
apostle  would  compare  his  own),  the  incit- 
ing, encouraging,  admonishing  oversight  of  a 
father.  Exhorted  and  comforted  and 
charged.  Exhorting  you  and  encouraging 
[you]  and  testifying.  'Exhorting'  is  the  cor- 
responding verb  to  "exhortation"  in  ver.  3,  on 
which  see  note  above.  Encouraging.  "This 
denotes  the  soothing,  as  the  former  word  the 
animating  side  of  Christian  encouragement." 
(Yaughan.)  More  than  the  former  word  it 
seems   to   imply   an   appeal   to   the  feelings. 


Ch.  II.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


12  That   ye  would  walk  worthy  of  God,  who   hath  I  12  eucoiirascing  you,  and  testilving,  to  the  end  that  ye 
called  you  uuto  his  kiugdoiu  and  glory.  should  walk  worthily  uf  God,  who  'calleth  you  iuio 

I        his  owu  kingdom  aud  glory. 

1  Some  aucieot  autboritiea  road  called. 


Testifying:  "adjuring,"  "earnestly  charg- 
ing," as  if  in  the  presence  of  God  as  witness. 
This  is  the  meaning  according  to  Grimm, 
Eilicott,  Liinemann,  and  others.  The  apos- 
tles urged  home  their  message  to  the  hearts 
and  consciences  of  those  who  would  hear, 
with  all  the  force  and  momentum  that  an 
intense  earnestness  could  impart,  and  that 
not  only  to  audiences,  but  to  individuals, 
man  by  man,  each  one  of  you.  So  Paul  to 
the  Ephesians:  "By  the  space  of  three  years 
I  ceased  not  to  admonish  every  one  night 
and  day  with  tears."    (Aot»20:3i.) 

la.  That  ye  would  walk,  etc.  This  clause 
contains  the  substance  of  their  exhortation, 
not  merely  it?, purpose,  as  the  Kevised  Version 
renders  it.  Butter:  "E.vhorting  you  and  en- 
couraging and  earnestly  charging  j'ou  to  walk 
worthily,"  etc.  In  Eph.  4:1,  "I  therefore, 
the  prisoner  in  the  Lord,  beseech  you  to  walk 
worthily  of  the  calling  wherewith  ye  were 
called,"  the  exhortation  is  followed  (s:').  by 
its  more  definite  explanation,  "  Be  ye  tliere- 
fore  followers  (imitators)  of  God  ....  and 
walk  in  love,  even  as  Christ  also  loved  you." 
Compare  also  Col.  1:10;  lJohn2:f).  "Walk- 
ing" is  a  figure  "  used  fifty  times  in  the  New  ' 
Testament  for  the  habitual  conduct  and  daily 
life  of  man."  The  specific  exhortations  in  the 
later  part  of  each  of  the  two  epistles— to  purity, 
chastity,  industrj%  prayer,  teachableness,  rev- 
erence. Christian  aflTection,  against  covetous- 
ness,  idleness,  etc. — show  what  topics  were 
embraced  in  these  earnest  exhortations.  To 
train  these  newly-won  converts  from  Pagan- 
ism in  the  duties  of  the  new  life  enli-sted  the 
apostle's  utmost  zeal  and  energy.  He  was 
not  content  to  gain  great  numbers  of  converts, 
or  merelj'  to  found  a  church,  but  wished  to 
plant  it  on  the  permanent  foundation  of  an 
instructed  faith,  and  to  see  it  walking  in  the 
ordinances  of  the  Lord  blameless.  The  stand- 
ard set  is  infinitely  high  :  they  are  to  live 
in  a  manner  "worthy  of  God."  "Ye  there- 
fore shall  be  perfect,  as  your  heavenly  Father 
is  perfect."  (Matt. 5: 48.)  Who  hath  called 
you  into  his  kingdom  and  glory.  This 
added  clause  forcibly  brings  to  mind  the  great 


reward  of  which  the  believer  has  the  promise 
— the   motive  fitted   to  stimulate  him  to   the 
most  earnest  endeavor.     "  Then  shall  the  King 
say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come  ye 
blessed   of  my  Father,  inherit  the   kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world."     (Matt,  is :  34.)      Hath   called,    rather, 
calleth,   as   rightly   in   the   Kevised   Version. 
It  is   understood  by   most  commentators   as 
a  progressive  present,   is  calling;    "uninter- 
ruptedly continued"  (Liinemann);   "a  reiter- 
ated sound,  continued  through  the  individual 
life."     (Vaughan.)     But  is  it  not  simply  the 
general  present?    It  ascribes  the  call  which 
the  believer   has  heard   to  God ;    he   is   the 
caller — "he  who  calls,"    as  in  Kom.  9:11; 
Gal.  5:8.      So  also  he  is  the  Giver  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  as  in  4 :  8  of  this  Epistle,  where 
the    present   is    used   as   here.      The    princi- 
pal "ancient  authorities"   for  "called"  (icaAe- 
o-ai/ro?),  to  which  the  margin  of  the  Kevised 
Version    refer.s,   are   the   two   uncials,   Sina- 
iticus    and   Alexandrinus,   and    six   or  more, 
cursives,  to  which  are  to  be  added  a  number 
of  versions — at  least  their  apparent  testimony. 
Call  (called,  calling)  is  a  somewhat  frequent 
term  in  the  writings  of  Paul.     He  never  uses 
it,   however,   in   the  broader  sense   which   it 
frequently  has  elsewhere  in  Scripture,  as  de- 
noting that  universal  invitation  of  the  gospel, 
which  is  accepted  by  some,  refused  by  others. 
It  is  al  waj's  the  heard  call  of  which  he  speaks. 
"Only  those  are  spoken  of  as  called  by  God 
who  have  listened  to  his  voice  addressed  to 
them  in  the  gospel,  hence  those  who  have  en- 
listed in   the  service  of   Chri.st."     (Thayer.) 
It  is  correct  to  define   "calling"   as  the  ef- 
ectual    working    of   divine    grace   upon   the 
elect,   by   which  they  are   made   regenerate; 
or  in  "Weiss'  statement  as  "the  divine  act  of 
grace  through  which  God  cflTectually  calls  the 
elect  to  faith,  and  thereby  to  participation  in 
the  fellowship  of  salvation  "  ("  Bib.  Theol.  of 
the  New  Testament,"  I.,  p.  206).    EffirtiiaUy, 
however,  is  not  in  the  word  itself,  and  forms 
no  prominent  element  in  its  meaning.     As  a 
matter  of  fact  to  call   is    to  call   effectually. 
This  arises  from  the   point  of   view   of  the 


34 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


18  For  this  cause  also  ihank  we  God  without  ceasing,  |  13      And  for  this  cause  we  also  thank  God  without 


because,  when  ye  received  the  word  of  God  which  ye 
heard  of  us,  ye  received  it  not  as  the  word  of  men,  but, 
as  it  is  iu  truth,  the  word  of  God,  which  etlectually 
worketh  also  iu  you  that  believe. 


ceasing,  that,  wheu  ye  received  froiu  us  tlie  i  word 
of  the  message,  eien  the  ivord  of  God,  ye  accepted  it 
not  as  the  word  of  men,  but,  as  it  is  in  truth,  the 
word  of  God,  whicli  also  worketh  in  you   that  be- 


1  Gr.  the  word  of  hearing. 


writer,  who  is  addressing  Christians,  or  those 
whom  he  assumes  to  be  such.  But  the  idea  of 
efficaciousness  is  not  contained  in  the  term  as 
such:  it  only  follows  from  the  character  of  the 
persons  who  are  viewed  as  having  become  the 
subjects  of  the  call.  See  remarks  on  this  point 
in  Philippi,  "Commentary  on  Romans,"  8:28. 
Due  attention  to  Paul's  language  in  Rom.  8  : 
30,  will  suggest  the  limitation  of  the  term  as 
emploj'ed  in  his  epistles:  "whom  he  foreor- 
dained, them  he  also  called ;  and  whom  he 
called,  them  he  also  justified.''  The  divine 
caU  in  the  realization  of  the  plan  of  redemp- 
tion is  conditioned  by  election,  and  is  followed 
by  justification.  "In  Paul's  epistles,"  says 
Ellicott,  "the  gracious  work  of  calling  is 
always  ascribed  to  the  Father." 

"  'Tis  God's  all-animating  voice 
That  calls  thee  from  on  high." 

In  5  :  24,  at  the  close  of  the  letter,  he  refers 
again  to  this  call,  of  which  he  and  his  com- 
panions had  been  bearers,  and  stamps  it  with 
the  seal  of  an  apostolic  promise :  "  Faithful  is 
he  that  calleth  j-ou,  who  will  also  do  it." 
His  kingdom  is  the  kingdom  of  Christ  to  be 
established  in  its  final  glory  at  his  appearing. 
In  the  gospels,  and  elsewhere  in  the  New 
Testament,  "Kingdom  of  God,"  "Kingdom 
of  Heaven,"  "  Kingdom  of  Christ,"  are  sy- 
nonymous terms.  'And  glory' — "his  own 
eternal  glory  of  which  all  true  members  of 
the  Messianic  kingdom  shall  be  partakers." 
Vaughjin  :  "Glory  is  the  fffxlgence  of  light. 
Applied  to  a  person  it  is  the  manifestation  of 
excellence."  This  disclosure  of  God  in  his 
holiness  and  excellence  is  the  goal  of  the 
Christian's  hope.  "  Let  us  rejoice  in  hope  of 
the  glory  of  God."  (Rom. 5:2.)  The  reader  will 
'lose  the  full  significance  of  the  apostle's  words 
here,  if  with  Olshausen  he  takes  'his  king- 
dom and  glory'  to  be  merely  equivalent  to 
"his  glorious  kingdom.''  "Glory"  leads  our 
thoughts  forward  to  the  filial  consummation 
of  the  Messianic  kingdom,  when  "every  tongue 
shall  ciinfesis  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord  to  the 
glory   of    God   the   Father."    (J'hii.2:n.)      The 


glory  which  believers  are  to  inherit  is  the 
glory  which  Christ  had  with  the  Father 
"before  the  world  was."  See  John  17  :  5; 
compare  ver.  22  in  the  same  chapter. 

13-16.  Thus  far  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
the  gospel  was  delivered  to  them  ;  the  apostle 
now  reminds  them  once  more  how  they  re- 
ceived it.  The  reminiscence  of  the  latter  is 
equally  significant  and  encouraging.  It  in- 
s{)ires  him  anew  with  grateful  joy.  The  secret 
of  the  gospel's  success  among  them,  so  far 
as  they  were  concerned,  was  that  they  re- 
ceived it  as  the  word  of  God,  not  as  the 
word  of  men. 

13.  For  this  cause — in  view  of  the  loving 
desire  and  labor  for  your  salvation  (referring  lo 
the  theme  of  the  preceding  paragraph) — also 
.  .  .  we.  You  remember  with  gratitude  our 
efforts  in  3'our  behalf  (compare  "yourselves," 
"ye  remember,"  "ye  are  witnesses,"  ver. 
1,  9,  10)  ;  we  on  our  part  are  grateful.  Thank 
God  without  ceasing — an  illustration  of  the 
precept  he  gives  at  the  close  of  the  Epistle, 
"Pray  without  ceasing."  Because  (that) 
when  ye  received  the  word  of  God,  etc.; 
or  received  from  us  the  word  of  the  message, 
[even  the  word]  of  God  —  that  is,  "when  ye 
received  from  us  God's  word  spoken  in  your 
hearing."  The  position  of  the  latter  phrase  in 
the  original  is  such  as  to  indicate  a  slight  em- 
phasis. See  note  on  "gospel  of  God,"  ver.  9 
above.  Word  of  message  is  literally  "the 
word  of  hearing,"  or  "the  word  heard":  it 
describes  a  spoken  message.  See  the  same 
phrase  in  Heb.  4:2,  where  the  Common  Ver- 
sion has  "the  preached  word,"  rendered  in  the 
Revised  Version  "the  word  of  hearing."  Thus 
far  in  the  history  of  the  church  the  gospel 
was  for  the  most  part  a  spoken  gospel.  There 
is  no  mention  in  any  of  the  apostolic  epistles, 
of  any  written  account  of  our  Lord's  ministry 
or  teachings.  During  thirty  years  or  more 
after  Christ's  ascension  the  teaching  "of  all 
nations"  was  done  by  the  living  jireachcr,  not 
by  the  circulation  of  apostolic  books  among 
the  heathen.  Ye  received  it  not  as  the  word 
of  men,  but,  as  it  is  in  truth,  the  word  of 


Ch.  II.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


35 


14  P'or  ye,  brethren,  became  followers  of  the  churches  I  14  lieve.    For  ye,  brethren,  became  imitators  of  the 
of  God  which  ill  Jiulea  are  ill  Christ  Jesus:  for  ye  also  cuurches    ol    Uod   which   are    iu   Jiidu:a   iu  Christ 

have  suffered  like  things  of  your  owu  countrymeu,  even         Jesus:  for  ye  also  suttered  the  same  things  of  your 
as  they  luivc  of  the  Jews:  | 


God.  When  ye  received  or  heard  the  word, 
you  did  not  close  j'our  souls  against  it,  but 
you  accepted  it.  'Keceived,'  properly  "ac- 
cepted," a  different  word  from  the  previous 
'  received.'  Accepted  implies  not  only  a  hear- 
ing of  the  gospel,  but  its  acceptance  into  mind 
and  heart.  The  supplying  of  'it'  and  'as' 
in  the  Common  Version  is  necessary,  in  order 
to  show  what  is  probably  the  true  sense  of  the 
original.  Ellicott  interprets  otherwise,  con- 
sidering 'the  word  of  men'  to  be  the  first  ob- 
ject "accepted."  The  apostle  again  lays  stress 
upon  tlie  point  already  made  prominent  in  this 
chapter.  His  message  was  no  human  word, 
but  God's  word.  See  4 :  15,  "  For  this  we  say 
unto  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,"  with 
which  compare  4  :  2.  His  message  is  a  com- 
munication from  God  to  men  through  Christ 
and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  "  Belief  cometh  of 
hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  Christ." 

(Rom.  10  :  17,  Rev.  Ver.)         "Wilich     tilings    also    WC 

speak,  not  in  words  which  man's  wisdom 
teacheth,  but  which  the  Spirit  teacheth." 
(icor.  2:13.)  This  must  have  been  a  vital  ques- 
tion with  these  converts  just  won  from  Pagan- 
ism, or  in  many  instances  from  Jewish  prose- 
lytism,  now  cut  off  from  all  share  in  the  world 
about  them  and  environed  with  hatred  and 
persecution.  They  might  well  ask  them- 
selves: Are  we  relying  on  the  mere  word  of 
an  enthusiast,  or  can  we  trust  his  promises 
and  predictions  as  the  unerring  certain- 
ties of  a  supernatural  I3'  attested  revelation 
from  the  one  living  and  true  God,  and  the 
risen  king  Jesus  Christ?  Paul  assures  them 
that  his  message,  not  cnntaina,  but  is  in  truth 
the  word  of  God,  and  pours  forth  unceasing 
gratitude  to  the  Revealer  of  the  word  that  it 
was  accepted  as  such  by  the  Thessalonians. 
Them  it  profited,  being  "mixed  with  faith." 
Whicli  effectually  workcth  also  in  you 
that  believe — it  has  become  in  j'ou  an  in- 
working  force  or  energy;  the  Greek  verb  is 
cognate  with  our  word  "energy."  The  word 
of  God  received  as  such  became  a  word  living 
and  active.  (Heb.i:i2.)  It  was  transmuted 
into  right  living,  holy  character,  and  in  par- 
ticular, as  he  goes  on  to  state,  into  heroic  en- 
durance  for   Christ.      It  wrought  thus  in  the 


hearts  of  those  who  believed ;  in  such  the  Holy 
Spirit  made  it  his  instrument  "for  teaching, 
for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction 
which  is  in  righteousness,"  the  means  of 
bringing  about  "the  will  of  God"  alluded  t<> 
in  4:  3,  namely,  their  sanctification.  To  go 
back  to  the  apostles'  starting  point  at  the 
opening  of  the  chapter,  his  gospel  was  not 
found  vain.  Preached  in  power,  received  in 
faith  as  the  word  of  God,  it  became  the  power 
of  God  unto  salvation.  The  word  here  ren- 
dered "  worketh,"  expressive  of  the  action  of 
an  inworkirig  force  quite  different  from 
"working,"  ver.  9  above,  is  used  to  denote 
the  overcoming  energy  of  believing  jjrayer 
(James  5: 16);  but  also  ou  the  othcr  hand  the 
destructive     energy    of     sin     in     the    soul. 

(RoQi.  7:  5.) 

14.  For  ye  .  .  .  became  followers  (^imi- 
tators), etc.  No  stronger  proof  could  be  ad- 
duced of  the  renewing  transforming  energy  of 
the  gospel  in  them  than  their  endurance  of  per- 
secutions such  as  the  Judean  Christians  had 
been  called  upon  to  endure.  The  churches  in 
Palestine  were  the  earliest  sufferers.  "\Ye  can 
scarcely  take  it  for  granted  with  Lunemann 
that  the  Thessaloniiins  imitated  their  Judesiu 
brethren  "not  in  intention  or  design,"  hut 
merely  "  in  actual  fact  or  result."  There  was 
doubtless  much  inter-communication  among 
the newl^'-formed  Christian  communities;  and 
from  Paul  himself,  if  from  no  other,  they 
would  learn  the  martyr  history  of  the 
Palestine  churches  —  an  example  to  kindle 
like  courage  and  nerve  them  to  like  fortitude. 
In  Christ  Jesus  :  added  to  define  these 
churches  or  assemblies  as  distinctiveli'  Chris- 
tian. As  the  terms  were  then  used,  "  a  congre- 
gation of  God  in  Judea"  might  be  under- 
stood to  mean  a  synagogue  of  Jews.  For  ye 
also  have  suffered  like  things,  etc.  The 
membership  of  this  Church  being  mainly  Gen- 
tile (see  Introduction),  it  was  their  oirn 
countrymen, — namely.  Pagans  of  Thcssah'- 
nica,  — not  Jewish  residents,  from  whom  they 
most  suffered,  though,  as  we  learn  from  Acts 
17  :5,  the  Jews  were  often  the  prime  instigators 
of  persecution.  Similarly  also  at  Iconiuiu 
{Act«  14:  2),  and  in  Lystra  (Acts  i*.  19).    "The  re- 


36 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


15  Who  both  killed  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  their  own 
prophets,  and  have  persecuted  us;  and  they  please  not 
Uod,  and  are  coulrary  lu  all  men : 

Its  Forbidding  us  to  speak  to  the  Gentiles  that  they 
uiight  be  saved,  to  fill  up  their  sius  always:  for  the 
■wrath  is  to  couie  upon  them  to  the  utteriuost. 


15  own  countryman,  even  as  they  did  of  the  Jews ;  who 
both  killed  the  Lord  Jesus  and  the  prophets,  and 
drave  out  us,  aud  please  not  God,  and  are  contrary 

16  to  all  men  ;  forbidding  us  to  speak  to  the  Gentiles 
that  they  may  be  saved;  to  till  up  their  sius  alway : 
but  the  wrath  is  come  upon  them  to  the  uttermost. 


mark  of  Tertullian  seems  to  have  ever  been 
very  true  in  reference  to  the  early  church — 
''  synngogas  Judceorum,  fontes  persecution- 
urn' ;  The  synagogues  of  the  Jews,  founts  of 
persecutions."  (EUicott.)  That  by  the  fellow- 
countrynieu  here  spoken  of  Jews  are  not  in- 
tended is  shown  by  the  evidently  intentional 
contrast  between  "you" — "your  own"  and 
"they" — "the  Jews." 

15,  16.    The  mention  of  the  Jewish  perse- 
cution diverts  the  apostle  for  a  moment  from 
his  main  thought.     With  fervid  indignation 
he  breaks  away  to  rehearse  the  awful  crimes 
of   the  Jews,    culminating    in  the   desperate 
attempt  they  were  now  making  to  shut  the 
door  of  hope  and  of  salvation  to  the  Gentiles. 
His  words    recall — perhaps    he   himself   had 
them  in  mind — our  Lord's  own  utterances  of 
denunciation    and    warning.      In    one    brief 
phrase  he  refers  to  their  treatment  of  himself 
and  his  companions,  "  and  drave  us  out,"  but 
in  no  tone  of  revengeful  anger  for  that.     It 
■was  not  that  which  kindled  his  indignation. 
He  never  forgot  that  he  had  himself  been  a 
persecutor;  his  own  sufferings  did  not  quench 
his  passionate  desire  for  the  salvation  of  his 
own  people.     On  this  point  the  eloquent  argu- 
mentin  Romans,chapters9-n,  speaksfor  itself 
The  capital   count  in  the  indictment  against 
them,  and  that  which  most  of  all  fires  his  soul 
with  holy  anger,  is  their  opposition  to  the  sal- 
vation of  the  heathen.      Who  both  killed. 
"  Both  "  does  not  correctly  represent  the  force 
of  the  Greek  connective;  here,  as  elsewhere, 
it  marks  an  explanatory  correspondent  clause. 
If  rendered  at  all  into  English,  n/so  is  the 
word ;  or  we  may  omit  it,  and  render  the  clause 
"they  who  killed,"  etc.     The  Lord  Jesus, 
and  their  own  prophets.     "O  Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem,  thou   that   killest  the   prophets." 
(Matt. 23:37.)     "I  will  scnd  unto  them  prophets 
and   apostles,  and  some  of  them   they  shall 
slay  and  persecute."   (Luke  ii:  49.)      And  hare 
persecuted  us  (and  drave  ns, out).     "Some 
(if  them  shall  ye  scourge  in  your  synagogues 
and  persecute  them  frotn  city  to  qity."   {M.itt. 
2:1  31.)     The  word  translated  by  the  Revisers 


"drave  out"  is  rendered  'persecute'  in  our 
text  and  in  the  passage  from  Luke  cited  above. 
The  general  sense  is  the  same,  but  primarily, 
as  tlie  use  of  the  satne  word  in  the  Septuagint 
shows,  the  thought  is  of  driving  forth  from  city 
to  city.  This  had  been  the  exjierience  of  the 
apostles;  thus  it  had  been  with  Paul  from  the 
time  of  his  first  preaching  in  Damascus.  By 
"us"  he  doubtless  means  particularly  himself 
and  his  companions  known  to  his  readers.  And 
they  please  not  God,  and  are  contrary  to 
all  men.  In  tohat  respect  this  applies  to  the 
Jews  he  explains  in  the  following  verse; 
namely,  in  their  opposition  to  the  conversion 
of  the  Gentiles.  Herein  lay  their  impiety  and 
their  inhumanity.  Observe  also  that  Paul 
does  not  here  characterize  the  Jewish  nation 
and  policy  in  their  original  and  proper  charac- 
ter ;  he  refers  particularly  t<J  their  attitude  at 
that  period.  The  nation  was  becoming  more 
intensely  and  malignantly  Pharisaic.  What 
this  meant,  what  spirit  and  policj',  may  be 
seen  from  our  Lord's  great  denunciatory  dis- 
course against  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  con- 
tained in  the  twenty-third  of  Matthew.  The 
impiety  and  inhumanity  for  which  Christ 
arraigned  the  Jewish  leaders — "  Ye  shut  up 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  against  men;  for  j-e 
enter  not  in  yourselves,  neither  sufl^er  ye  them 
that  are  entering  to  enter"  (Revised  Version) 
—became  more  and  more  manifest  during  the 
forty  years  subsequent  to  the  Crucifixion. 

Forbidding  us  to  speak  to  the  Gentiles 
that  they  might  be  saved — a  specification 
belonging  to  the  two  preceding  clauses  (ac- 
cording to  Liinemann  and  Alford,  only  to  the 
latter),  and  hence  should  be  separated  only  by 
a  comma.  Thus  the  portion  of  the  sentence 
beginning  "and  please  not  God"  and  ending 
"that  they  may  be  saved"  is  to  be  read  in 
close  connection,  and  to  be  slightly  separated 
from  what  precedes  and  follows.  SeeVaughan, 
Auberlen,  Lillie,  Riggenbach.  'Forbidding' 
— more  accuratel}',  "hindering";  they  are 
hindering  us  from  proclaiming  to  the  Gentiles 
the  message  necessary  for  their  salvation. 
To  fill  up  their  sins  alway.     The  clause 


Ch.  II.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


37 


17  But   wt",  brethren,  being  taken   from   you   for  a  I  17      But  we,  brethren,  being  bereaved  of  you   for  'a 
short  liiue  in  presence,  not  in  heart,  endeavoured  the  short  season,  in  presence,  not  in  heart,  endeavoured 

luore  abundantly  to  see  your  face  with  great  desire.         |        the  more  exceedingly  to  see  your  face  with  great  de- 


1  Gr.  a  leaton  of  an  hour. 


denotes  purpose.     To  the  apostle  this  deepen- 
ing hostility  to  the  gor^pel  presented  itself  us 
one  miinifestatiun  of  that  blind,  mad  determi- 
nation with  which  they  were  rushing  to  their 
doom.     Tliat  they  were  engaged  in  filling  to 
the  brim  the  cup  of  their  crimes  open-eyed — 
fully  conscious  of  the  nature  and  results  of 
their  course,  is  not  afBrmed ;    only  that  they 
were  invincibly  persisting  in  that  course  which 
was  filling    the  still  lacking  measure  of  their 
sin.     "The  word  means  to  fill  up,  to  fill  again 
higher,    so   that,  as   it   were,  the  still   empty 
space    in    the  vessel  becomes  ever  higher." 
( Auberlen. )    "  Theologically  considered,"  says 
Ellicott,  "it  mainly  refers  to  the  eternal  ])ur- 
pose   of   God   which   unfolded    itself   in    this 
willful,   and  at  last  judicial  blindness  on  the 
part  of  his  chosen  people."     Still  Paul's  lan- 
guage finds  a  nearer  explanation  in  the  ordi- 
nary usages  of  speech,  without  referring  it  to 
the    underlying    Scrijitural    truth   of    which 
Ellicott  spealvs.   For  (hut)  the  wrath  is  come 
upon  them  to  the  uttermost — the  wrath  of! 
God  that   must  inevitably   pursue  such  sin. 
Long  predicted,  long  on  its  way,  it  has  now 
overtaken  tliem,  and  is  ready  to  break  forth. 
'To  the  uttermost' — literally,  to  the  end,  that 
is,  so  as  to  make  an  end,  fully  to  accomplish 
itself.     "It  had  reached  its  extreme  bound, 
and  would  at  once  pass  into  inflictive  judg- 
ments.    As  the  cup  of  the  sin  had  been  grad- 
ually filling,  so  had  the  measure  of  the  divine 
wrath.      It  can  scarcely  be  doubted  that  in 
tlicse  words  the  apostle  is  pointing  propheti- 
cally to  the  misery  and  destruction,  which  in 
less  tiian  fifteen  years  came  upon  the  whole 
Jewish  nation."     (Ellicott.) 

2:  17-3:  13.  Assurance  of  His  Undimin- 
ished Affection.  —  Since  our  departure  we 
we  have  kept  you  in  our  hearts.  We  live  in 
glory  and  in  joy  continually  because  of  you. 
"VVe  sought  to  return  t<i  3'ou  and  Satan  pre- 


ing  of  the  heart,  its  sitnple  unstudied  language 
teems,  not  with  apostolic  instruction,  but  with 
tender  regret,  solicitude,  loving  joy  and  exul- 
tation, with  thanksgiving  and  prayer.  Intent 
on  keeping  unbroken  the  bond  between  him- 
self and  his  converts,  he  opens  his  heart  to 
them,  showing  how  it  has  been  during  the  in- 
terval of  enforced  absence.  He  assures  them 
of  his  constant  love,  and  his  desire  for  their  wel- 
fare. The  passage  is  one  that  will  least  bear  to 
be  taken  to  pieces  phrase  after  phrase  by  a  cold 
and  unsympathetic  logic.  Its  best  and  deep- 
est lessons  are  to  the  heart.  The  reader  who 
will  learn  them  must  make  himself  one  of  the 
little  band  of  Christians  who  gathered  to  hear 
the  message  that  had  come  from  their  apostolic 
father  and  leader — from  him  who  had  been  tis 
an  angel  of  God  to  them,  to  whom  they  would 
doubtless  have  been  as  ready  as  their  Gala- 
tian  brethren  even  to  pluck  out  and  give  their 
eyes. 

17.  But  we— 'we'  slightly  emphatic:  but 
now  to  speak  ot  ourselves ;  transition  to  the 
writer's  own  experience,  including,  of  course, 
his  companions,  Silas  and  Timothy.  Many, 
with  Liinemann,  consider  '  we'  to  resume  from 
ver.  13;  but  the  following  section  seems  to 
deal  with  a  new  topic,  quite  separate  from  the 
preceding.  Being  taken  from  yon.  (Re- 
vised Version,  being  bereaved  of  you).  Af- 
ter we  had  been  sundered  from  you,  left  des- 
olate and  solitary,  for  a  short  time,  in  person 
not  in  heart,  we  became  the  more  exceed- 
ingly eager  with  great  desire  to  look  again 
upon  your  faces.  Bereaved  {airop<l>avi<T»iyTt<:)  is 
from  the  word  rendei^d  "comfortless,"  John 
14: 18,  in  the  Common  Version,  by  the  Revisers 
"desolate"  ;  our  word  "orphan"  is  derived 
from  it.  It  vividly  describes  the  desolateness 
of  soul  in  which  the  apostle  left  his  heroic 
friends  and  followers  at  Thessalonica.  En- 
deavoured  the  more  abundantly.     AVhy 


vented.  Then  I  sent  Timothy  from  my  side  I  'the  more'  ?  For  the  very  reason  of  this  be- 
to  strengthen  your  faith  and  courage.  And  ,  reaving  separation.  Our  hearts  were  still  with 
now  the  good  news  he  has  just  brought  re- i  you,  and  absence  sharpened  desire  to  see  your 
vives  our  joy  and  renders  our  prayers  in  your  faces;  so  Calvin,  Winer,  Vaughan,  Lillie. 
behalf  still  more  earnest.  This  section  closes  Ellicott  makes  it  refer  to  the  phrase  in  pres- 
the  first  division  of  the  letter.    A  free  outpour-  ■  ence,  not  in  heart;  Liinemann  and  Auber- 


38 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


18  Wherefore  we  would  have  come  unto  you,  even  I 
Paul,  once  and  again  ;  bul  Satan  hindered  us. 

ly  Fur  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoic- 
ing? Are  nut  even  ye  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming? 

20  For  ye  are  our  glory  and  joy. 


18  sire:  because  we  would  fain  have  come  unto  you,  I 

19  I'aul  once  and  again;  and  Satan  hindered  us.  tor 
what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  glorying? 
Are   not  even   ye,  belore    our    Lord    Jesus  at  his 

20  1  coming  ?    For  ye  are  our  glory  and  our  joy. 


1  Gr.  presence. 


len,  to  the  phrase  for  a  short  time — that  the 
separation  liad  occurred  so  recently  made  our 
desire  to  see  you  the  greater. 

18,  Wherefore   we    would   have    come 

unto  you.  'Wherefore'  (Kevised  Version, 
"Because")  might  better  be  rendered  'for.' 
To  confirm  what  he  lias  just  said  of  his 
desire  to  see  them;  for,  or  the  fact  being, 
we  had  the  purpose  to  come,  once  and 
again ;  I,  indeed,  the  writer,  not  only  once 
but  twice.  For  himself  he  can  speak  of 
two  such  occasions;  but  his  plans  of  revisiting 
the  church  were  each  frustrated. — But  (and) 
Satan  hindered  us.  When  the  early  trans- 
lation and  King  James's  revisers  rendered 
'6m^  Satan  hindered  us,'  they  expressed  the  con- 
nection which  they  thought  Paul  ought  to  have 
intended,  but  not  that,  which  judging  from 
the  Greek  conjunction  used,  he  did  intend.  It 
connects  the  two  clauses  so  that  they  are 
viewed  as  parts  of  the  same  fact:  we  purposed 
—Satan  hindered;  hardly  to  be  separated  by 
a  semicolon,  as  in  the  Common  and  Kevised 
Versions.  That  the  obstacle  to  his  plans  was 
in  someway  referable  to  the  evil  one  himself 
the  apostle  unmistakably  asserts.  In  Kom. 
1 :  13  and  15  :  22  he  speaks  of  having  been  hin- 
dered from  visiting  that  church,  but  the  hin- 
drance is  not  there  ascribed  to  Satan.  Conjec- 
ture cannot  inform  us  what  agencies  Satan 
emploj-edin  this  case,  or  how  Paul  discovered 
them  to  be  from  him  ;  it  was  an  agency  so 
manifestly  evil  that  he  could  confidently  at- 
tribute it  to  "the  god  of  this  world,"  "the 
sjiirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  dis- 
obedience." Compare  2  Cor.  12:  7,  where  ho 
terms  the  "thorn  in  the  flesh"  "a  messenger 
of  Satan  toViuffet  me,"  given,  however,  by  the 
Lord,  "that  I  should  not  be  exalted  over- 
much." 

19,  20.  Tor  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy, 
or  crown  of  rejoicing?  As  accounting 
for  his  desire  and  purpose  to  see  them, 
this  sentence,  although  put  in  the  vivid 
form  of   a  rhetorical  appeal,   is    introduced 


by  the  apostle's  constant  'for'  argumenta- 
tive. In  the  future  of  my  hope,  in  the  pic- 
ture of  my  joy,  I  see  you,  even  you,  your 
very  selves  to  whom  I  write.  Only  one  other 
church  does  Paul  thus  address,  "my  joy  and 
my  crown,"  also  a  Macedonian  church,  that 
at  Philippi.  See  Pliil.  4:  1.  'Crown  of  re- 
joicing,' glorying  —  that  victorious  wreath 
in  which  I  shall  glory,  when  the  Lord  comes. 
The  winner  in  the  great  Grecian  games  bore 
away,  as  his  i)rize,  amid  the  assembled  multi- 
tudesof  the  Hellenic  world,  a  chajjlet  of  leaves. 
Paul  here  and  elsewhere  makes  it  the  emblem 
of  the  final  reward  given  to  the  Christian  for 
faithful  service.  "  And  when  the  chief  shep- 
herd shall  be  manifested  ye  shall  receive  the 
crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away."(  i  Peter 
5:4,  Eev.  ver.)  "  Now  they  do  it  to  receive  a 
corruptible  crown,  but  we  an  incorruptible." 
(iCor.9;25.)  In  the  present  instance,  it  is  the 
converts  he  has  gained  for  Christ  who  are  to 
be  his  prize-crown  upon  the  great  day.  The 
phrase  is  one  caught  from  the  Old  Testament. 
The  Greek  words  rendered  here  "  crown  of 
glory"  occur  in  Ezek.  16:12;  23:42,  and 
Prov.  16  :  31  of  the  Septuagint.  Compare  also 
2  Cor.  1:14:  "We  are  your  glorying,  even 
as  ye  also  are  ours,  in  the  day  of  our  Loid 
Jesus."  In  the  presence  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming.  In  the  judg- 
ment of  EUicott,  Liinemann,  Westcott  and 
Hort,  and  many  others,  this  part  of  the  sen- 
tence belongs  to  both  the  preceding  questions.^ 
They  would  read,  "For  what  is  our  hope  or 
joy  or  crown  of  glorying— or  are  not  even  ye? 
— in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at 
his  coming?"  'At  his  coming';  namely, 
when  he  shall  come.  In  the  presence  of  {be- 
fore) him— namely,  at  the  last  judgment 
which  is  then  to  take  place.  Concerning  the 
word  here  rendered  "coming"  (vapovaia), 
more  will  be  said  in  connection  with  4  :  15. 

20.  For  ye  are  our  glory  and  joy.  This 
justifies  and  sums  up  the  preceding  assurances 
in   one  comprehensive  utterance   of  devoted 


1  For  the  proper  punctuation,  see  Westcott  and  Hort's  Greek  Text. 


Ch.  III.] 


L  THESSALONIANS. 


39 


CHAPTER  III. 


WHEUEFOKE  when  we  could  no  longer  forbear,  we 
thought  it  good  to  be  lelt  al  .Atlieus  alone: 
2  And  sent  Tirnotheus,  our  brother,  and  minister  of 
God,  and  our  fellow  labourer  iu  the  gospel  of  Christ,  to 
establish  you,  and  to  comfort  you  coucerniDg  your 
faiih : 


1  Wherefore  when  we  could  no  longer  forliear,  we 
thiiuglit  it  good  to  be  left  behind  at  Athens  alone; 

2  and  sent  Timothy,  our  brother  and  '  (iod's  minister 
iu   the  gospel  of  Christ,  to  establish   you,   and   to 


1  Some  aucieuc  authorities  read  /elloui-worker  loitA  God. 


love.  '  Our  glory ' — that  wliioh  will  bring  the 
highest  honor — that  wherein  we  shall  exult 
and  triumph  at  the  last  day.  "They  that  be 
wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  liriua- 
ment;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever."     (i>au.  la :  3.) 


Ch.  3.-  1-10.  Timothy  Sent  to  Confit-m 
their  Faith.  Paul' s  Rejoicing  over  the  Good 
News  he  has  Just  Brought  Back.  These 
and  the  following  verses  to  the  end  of  the 
chapter  stand  in  close  connection  with  the 
preceding  paragraph.  The  third  chapter 
should  properly  have  begun  with  ver.  17 
above. 

1-2  Wherefore  when  Ave  could  no 
longer  forbear — literally,  no  longer  hearing 
it.  By  'we'  here  Paul  probably  means  him- 
self, falling  back  (from  ver.  18  above)  into 
the  plural  form  that  prevails  throughout  this 
letter.  This  is  the  opinion  of  most  commenta- 
tors. Bengel  and  others,  however,  consider  it 
to  include  Silas;  and  Bishop  Lightfoot  con- 
siders it  "at  least  doubtful  whether  St.  Paul 
ever  uses  the  plural  of  himself  alone."  We 
thought  it  good  to  be  left  .  .  .  and  sent 
Timothy.  It  will  be  seen  from  Acts  17  :  14, 
15,  that  Silas  and  Timothy  did  not  accompany 
Paul  from  Berea  to  Athens,  but  that  they  after- 
ward rejoined  him  at  Corinth.  If  Timothj' 
was  sent  back  to  Thessalonica, /rom  .^^Aens, 
we  are  to  suppose  a  visit  of  Timothy  (and  per- 
haps of  Silas  also)  to  Athens  that  Luke  has 
passed  over  in  silence.  There  are  two  arrange- 
ments of  the  recorded  facts,  either  of  which 
will  bring  Luke's  narrative  and  the  allusions 
here  into  full  accordance.  "(1)  Tirnotheus 
Wits  despatched  to  Thessalonica,  not  from 
Athens  but  from  Beroa,  a  supposition  quite 
consistent  with  the  apostle's  expression  of 
'consenting  to  be  left  alone  at  Athens.'  In 
this  case  Tirnotheus  would  take  up  Silas  some- 
where in  Macedonia  on  his  return,  and  the 
two  would  join  St.  Paul  in  company  ;    not, 


however,  at  Athens,  where  he  was  expecting 
them,  but  later  on  at  Corinth,  some  delay 
having  arisen.  This  explanation,  however, 
supposes  that  the  plurals  'mjc  consented,'  'we 
sent' [rivSoKri<Tanev,  eff€>i//a/u.e>'),  caii  refer to  St.  Paul 
alone.  The  alternative  method  of  reconciling 
the  accounts  is  as  follows :  (2)  Tirnotheus 
and  Silas  did  join  the  apostle  at  Athens, 
where  we  learn  from  the  Acts  that  he  was  ex- 
pecting them.  From  Athens  he  despatched 
Timotlieus  to  Thessalonica,  so  that  he  and 
Silas  (iii^eU)  had  to  forego  the  services  of  their 
fellow-laborers  for  a  time.  This  mission  is 
mentioned  in  the  Epistle,  but  not  in  the  Acts. 
Subsequently  he  sends  Silas  on  some  other 
mission,  not  recorded  in  either  the  history  or 
the  Ei)istle;  probably  to  another  Macedonian 
church,  Philipiji  for  instance,  from  which  he 
is  known  to  have  received  contributions  about 
this  time,  and  with  which,  therefore,  he  was  in 
communication,  2  Cor.  11  :  19;  compare  Phil. 
4  :  14-16.  Silas  and  Tirnotheus  returned  to- 
gether from  Macedonia  and  joined  the  apostle 
at  Corinth."  (Smith's  "Dictionary  of  the 
i  Bible,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  3225.)  See  also  Cony- 
1  beare  and  Howson's  "Life  and  Epistles  of 
'  Pt.  Paul,"  ch.  XI. 

Our  brother,  and  minister  of  God.  The 
word  "tninister"  (Siaxovo^)  might  appropri- 
ately be  rendered  "servant"  ;  compare  Matt. 
20:  26,  Revised  Version.  "  But  whosoever 
would  become  great  among  you  shall  be  your 
minister"  (margin,  "servant").  "The  con- 
stant practice  of  the  apostle  when  he  had 
occasion  specially  to  mention  his  faithful 
associates  to  designate  them  by  some  honora- 
ble appellative."  (Liinemann.)  Years  later 
Paul  writes  from  his  Roman  prison  to  the 
Philippians  of  Timothy,  "For  I  have  no 
man  lil<eminded  who  will  care  truly  for  your 
state.  For  they  all  seek  their  own,  not  the 
things  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  ye  know  the 
proof  of  him,  that,  as  a  child  serveth  a  father, 
so  he  served  with  me  in  furtherance  of  the 
gospel."  (2:20-22.)    To    'uiinistcr'  in   the  Ke- 


40 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  III. 


3  That  no  man  sliould  be  moved  by  these  afflictions: 
for  yourselves  know  that  we  are  ai)i)oiuled  tliereunto. 

4  For  verily,  when  we  were  with  you,  we  told  you 
before  that  we  should  sutler  tribulaiion;  even  as  it 
came  to  pass,  and  ye  know. 

5  For  this  cause,  when  1  could  no  longer  forbear,  I 


3  comfort  you  concerning  your  faith  ;  that  no  man  be 
moved  by  these  afflictions  ;  for  yourselves  know  that 

4  hereunto  we  are  appointed.  For  verily,  when  we 
were  with  you,  we  told  you,  i  beforehand  that  we 
lire  to  sutler  affliction ;  even  as  it  came  to  pass,  and 

5  ye   know.     For  this  cause  I  also,  when  I  could  no 


1  Or,  plainly. 


vised  Version,  is  added  the  phnise  in  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  thut  is,  in  preaching  or 
promoting  the  gospel.  Compare  the  closing 
phrase  of  the  sentence  just  quoted  from 
Philippians. 

To  establish  you  and  to  comfort  you. 
'Comfort,'  better  rendered  encourage,  or  ex- 
hort;  the  exhortation  was  one  thtit  especially 
concerned  their  faith.  Here  read  Acts  14  :  21, 
22  :  "  And  when  tliey  had  preached  tiie  gospel 
to  that  city  and  had  made  many  disciples  tliey 
returned  to  Lystra  and  to  Iconium  and  to 
Antioch,  confirming  the  souls  of  the  disciples, 
exhorting  thon  to  continue  in  the  faith,  and 
that  through  many  tribulations  we  must  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God."  The  words  co7i- 
firm,  establish,  strengthen,  describe  no  small 
part  of  Paul's  apostolic  and  ministerial  labor; 
compare  Acts  15  :  32,  41;  16  :  5:  18  :  23;  Rom. 
1  :  11 ;  16  :  25;  1  Thess.  3  :  13;  2  Thess.  2  :  17 ; 
3  :  3.  There  was  ever  present  to  his  mind  the 
danger  that  the  new  converts  might  make 
shipwreck  of  faith,  involving  not  only  their 
own  spiritual  ruin,  but  irretrievable  disaster 
to  churches,  and  public  shame  and  injury  to 
the  cause.  Hence  his  repeated  visitation  of 
churches  already  established  by  him,  postpon- 
ing for  years  plans  of  wider  missionar3'  enter- 
prise; hence  the  long  periods  of  settled  hibor 
"with  such  churches  as  those  of  Antioch, 
Corinth,  and  Ephesus  —  his  ministry  in  the 
latter  city  covering  a  space  at  one  time  of 
more  than  three  years.  If  a  pastor  in  our 
day  and  country  finds  the  growth  of  his 
church  retarded,  and  its  efforts  enfeebled,  by 
the  ignorance,  error,  and  perverted  moral  sense 
prevalent  among  his  converts — converts  reared 
amid  a  Christian  civilization  and  many  of 
them  in  Christian  families — how  much  more 
an  apostle  who  gathered  his  churches  out  from 
the  communities  of  the  Pagan  world.  They 
needed  warning,  incessant  inculcation  of  the 
simplest  precepts,  systematic  education  in 
Christian  doctrine.  They  were  to  be  trained 
to  an  orderly  life  before  the  world,  and  to 
organized  activity   within    the    church,    into 


habits  of  Christian  thinking,  morality-,  and 
benevolence.  In  all  such  labor  he  found 
Timothy  one  of  his  heartiest  and  most  effi- 
cient co-workers. 

3.  That  no  man  should  be  moved  by 
these  afiiictions.  The  sense  will  appear  more 
distinctly  if  we  render :  "and  to  exhort  you 
concerning  your  faith  that  no  man  bemoved," 
etc.  The  latter  clause  is  the  object  of  "ex- 
hort" (rendered  'comfort'  in  the  text).  So 
Buttmann,  "Grammar,"  p.  264,  and  most 
commentators.  The  afflictions  to  which  he 
especially  refers  are  doubtless  the  persecutions 
which  began  with  the  establishment  of  the 
church,  and  which  still  continued.  We  are 
appointed  thereunto— a  truth  well  known  to 
them  and  a  strong  ground  of  encouragement. 
This  persecution  and  suffering  is  not  something 
unexpected,  no  untoward  accident  involving 
possible  disaster,  but  was  expressly  appointed. 
It  was  a  part  of  the  plan,  of  our  Lord's  plan 
for  us,  and  we  told  you  beforehand  of  it. 
'  Appointed '  here  is  the  same  word  that  is  used 
in  Phil.  1:16:  '■'■  I  am  set  for  the  defence  of 
the  gospel."  So  the  Christian  is  se^,  stationed, 
appointed,  to  endure  afflictioii.  This  is  in- 
cluded in  the  gracious  purpose  of  Christ  for 
each  church  and  for  each  believer.  "Beloved, 
think  it  not  strange  concerning  the  fiery  trial 
among  you,  which  cometh  upon  you  to  prove 
you,  as  though  a  strange  thing  happened  unto 
you."  (i  Peter4:i2,  Rev.ver.)  "What  infinite  Con- 
solation !  "  Let  us  hear  who  have  ears  to  hear,'' 
says  Chrysostom  on  this  verse  ;  "hereunto  is 
the  Christian  appointed.  For  concerning  all 
the  faithful  is  this  said."  On  the  general 
truth  implied  here,  see  Dr.  Bushnell's  sermon, 
"  Every  Man's  Life  a  Plan  of  God." 

4.  We  told  you  beforehand^forewarn- 
ing  and  thus  forearming  them  for  the  crisis. 
Paul  in  this  followed  the  example  of  Christ, 
who  grticiously  forewarned  his  disciples  of 
the  trouble  thsit  should  follow  his  departure 
from  them.  See  Matt.  24:25;  John  13:19; 
14:29.  "I  have  told  before  it  come  to  pass, 
that  when  it  is  come  to  pass  ye  may  believe." 


Ch.  III.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


41 


sent  to  know  your  faith,  lest  by  some  means  the 
tempter  have  templed  you,  and  our  lahour  be  in  vain. 

t)  But  now  when  Tnuolhcus  came  Iro'm  you  unto  us, 
and  brought  us  good  tidings  of  your  laitli  and  cluiritv, 
and  tliat  ye  have  good  romembiauce  of  us  always, 
desiring  greatly  to  sc-e  us  as  we  also  to  see  you : 

7  Tlieiefiire,  brethren,  we  were  comforted  over  you 
iu  all  our  atJiiutiou  and  distress  by  your  laith: 


5.  For  this  cause  I  sent.  The  Revised 
Version  reads  "I  also,"  which  seems  not 
to  give  precisely  the  meaning  called  for  by 
the  context;  the  Greek  conjunction  is  not  un- 
frequently  used  to  affix  an  antithetic  or  re- 
sumptive emphasis,  that  an  English  writer 
would  leave  to  be  supplied  by  the  voice.  Here 
it  adds  a  slight  emphasis  to  the  subject  'I' 
(already  emphatic  in  the  Greek)  and  perhaps 
marks  it  more  distinctly  as  a  repetition  of  the 
subject  in  ver.  1  tibove,  by  which  repetition 
the  leadingthought  is  resumed.  See  a  similar 
use  of  'also'  in  2:13;  Eph.  1:15;  Col.  1:9. 
Lest  by  some  {a.)nj)  means  the  tempter, 
etc.:  'the  tempter'  is,  of  course,  Satan,  so 
called  also  in  Matthew's  account  of  our 
Lord's  temptation.  Should  have  tempted 
you  and  our  labour  be  in  vain— the  first 
clause  implying  a  fear  with  reference  to  some- 
thing past,  the  second  with  reference  to  the 
future.  1  feared  that  Satan  might  have  suc- 
ceeded in  weakening  your  faith,  and  that,  in 
that  case,  my  labor  in  your  behalf  might  there- 
fore finally  come  to  naught.  This  recognition 
of  the  dependence  of  his  final  success  upon  the 
steadfastness  of  his  converts  appears  also  in 
other  letters.  See  Gal.  4:  11,  and  particularly 
Phil.  2:16,  where  after  exhorting  the  Phil- 
ippians  to  go  on  working  out  their  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling,  and  to  do  all  things 
without  murmurings  and  disputings,  he  adds: 
"  that  I  may  have  whereof  to  glory  in  the 
day  of  Christ  that  I  did  not  run  in  vain,  neither 
labor  in  vain."     (Revised  Version.) 

6-10.  Paul's  Joy  over  the  News  Brought 
by  Timothy. — In  one  view  we  may  regard 
these  verses  as  forming  the  pivot-point  of 
tiie  Epistle:  the3'- must  have  been  listened  to, 
when  read  for  the  first  time  to  the  assembled 
church,  with  beating  heart  and  breathless  in- 
terest. We  learn  here  the  immediate  occa- 
sion of  the  letter,  and  obtain  the  key  to  its 
guccessive  glad  refrains  of  thanksgiving,  joj-, 
and  prayer.  This  return  of  Timothy  is  sup- 
posed to  be  that  mentioned  in  Acts  18:5, 
when  with  Silas  he  rejoined  Paul  at  Corinth. 


longer  forbear,  .sent  that  I  might  know  y.iur  faith, 
lest  by  anv  means   the   temiJler  had   tempted  you, 

6  and  our  laliour  should  he  in  vain.  Hut  \vhen 
Timothy  eume  even  now  unto  us  iroui  you,  and 
brought  us  glad  tidings  of  your  faiih  and  love,  and 
that    ye    have    good    remembrance    of    us  always, 

7  longing  to  see  us,  even  as  we  also  to  see  you;  ior 
this  cause,  brethren,  we  were  comforted  over  you 
in    all    our  distress    and    altiiciiou    through  your 


The  news  brought  from  Thessalonica  was  good 
news,  and  a  source  of  unspetikable  comfort  to 
his  heart;  namely,  that  their  faith  and  mu- 
tual love  were  bearing  the  terrible  strain  of 
affliction  and  persecution,  and  also  that  their 
love  to  him,  their  confidence  in   him  as  their 
teacher  and  leader,  were  un  weakened  by  this 
continued  absence.     "What  the  other  items  of 
intelligence  brought  by  Timothy  were  we  can 
only  conjecture  from  the  precepts  and  exhorta- 
tions contained  in  the  fourtii  and  fifth  chapters. 
Similar  is  the  ptissage  in  2  Cor.  7:5-7,  a  let- 
ter of  some  five  yetirs  later  date,  and  thought 
to  have  been  written  from  Macedonia  or  some 
part  of  Northern  Greece,  to  Corinth,  the  city 
from  which  the  present  letter  goes  to  Thessa- 
lonica.    In   the  following   verses,    as  in    the 
closing  verses  of   the  preceding  chapter,  the 
style  pulsates  with  joy.     The  black   night  of 
suspense  and  anxiety  "lest  the  tempter  had 
tempted"  them  was  over:    with  the  morning 
joy  had  come.     The  general  tenor  of  the  sen- 
tence, sufficiently  plain  in  the  Common  Ver- 
si(m,  shows  that  Paul  wrote  immediately  after 
Tin)othy's  arrival.     In  the  original   the  form 
of  the  verb  ('were  comforted,'  ver.  7),  taken 
in  connection   with  the  modifying  adverbial 
phrase  at  the  beginning  of  ver.  6,  makes  this 
still  more  clear.     See  Introduction,  p.  15,  2. 
6,  7.  But  now  when  Timotheus,  etc. — 
more  literally,  "butTimothy  having  just  now 
come";  the  word  rendered  brought  us  good 
tidings  usually  in  the  New  Testament  means 
to  bring  the  glad  tidings  of  Christ's  salvation ; 
here  used  as  in  Luke  1 :  19  of  other  glad  news. 
Good    remembrance.      "As  the  following 
words  more  fully  specify,  a  faithful  and  affec- 
tionate   remembrance"     (Ellicott.)      In   all 
our  affliction  and  distress.     These  terms 
cannot  be  distingtiishcd,  as  is  done  by  Riggen- 
bach, — thiit  the  former  iavayKT^)  refers  to  the 
distress  from  without,  the  latter  (eAi>«)  its  in- 
ward  operation.     The    word    here    rendered 
'affliction  '  {avayKri)  occiirs  six  times  in  1   and 
2  Corinthians  and  is  there  rendered  five  times 
"necessity"  or  "necessities"  both  in  the  Com- 


42 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  m. 


8  For  now  we  live,  if  ye  stand  fast  in  the  Lord. 

9  For  what  thanks  can  we  render  to  God  again  for 
you,  lor  all  the  joy  wherewith  we  joy  for  your  sakes 
before  our  God  ; 

10  Night  and  day  praying  exceedingly  that  we  might 
see  your  face,  and  might  perfect  that  which  is  lacking 
in  your  faith? 


8  faith:    for   now   we   live,  if   ye   stand   fast  in   the 

9  Lord.  For  /what  thanksgiving  can  we  render 
again  unlo  (iod  for  you,  for  all  tlie  joy  wherewiih 

10  we  joy  for  your  sakes,  before  our  God ;  night  and 
day  praying  exceedingly  that  we  may  see  your 
face,  and  may  perfect  that  which  is  lacking  in  your 
faith? 


niijri  and  the  Revised  Versions.  AVhat  special 
afflictions  were  the  lot  of  Paul  during  the 
first  part  of  the  sojourn  in  Corinth,  we  are 
not  informed  beyond  what  is  stated  in  Acts 
18:6,  seq.  He  tells  the  elders  of  Ephesus: 
"The  Holy  Ghost  testifieth  unto  me  in  every 
city,  saying  that  bonds  and  afflictions  abide 
me."  (Acts  20: 2-.!.)  See  also  the  passage  cited 
above  (acor. 7;5):  "We  were  afflicted  on 
every  side;  without  were  fightings,  witliin 
were  fears.  Nevertheless,  he  thatcomforteth 
the  lowly,  even  God,  comforted  us  by  the 
coming  of  Titus,"  etc. 

8.  For  now  we  live  if  ye  stand  fast  in 
the  Lord.  "Our  God  be  thanked  that  Satan 
has  not  prevailed  against  you.  You  do  still 
believe  and  love.  Our  fears  have  fled — again 
we  live.  Ah,  could  you  but  know  it,  our  very 
life,  all  the  hopes  and  rewards  that  make  life 
of  any  worth  to  us,  hang  on  your  fidelity." 

Observe  that  the  'if  does  not  imply  doubt  of 
their  continued  steadfastness;  rather  that  the 
former  fact,  'now  we  live,'  is  conditioned  in 
thought  (hence  'if  is  almost  equivalent  here 
to  "since")  upon  the  latter,  namely,  '  that  ye 
stand  fast  in  the  Lord.'  We  have  here  a  typi- 
cal utterance  of  the  great  apostle.  But  who 
can  fully  apprehend  it  except  he  who  has  had 
like  experience  ?  These  are  words  of  one  who 
not  only  seeks  the  eternal  salvation  of  men,  but 
loves  them  as  men,  and  covets  their  love.  "The 
man  whose  picture  this  is,"  says  Bunyan's 
Interpreter,  "is  one  of  a  thousand;  he  can 
beget  children,  travail  in  birth  with  children, 
and  nurse  them  himself,  when  they  are 
born."  These  words  are  significant  as  a  self- 
revelation.  Similar  are  1  Cor.  4:  14,  15;  2 
Cor.  7  :  2,  3 ;  Phil.  1:7;  3  :  17,  and  the  clos- 
ing verses  of  chapter  3  above,  wherein  all 
purely  personal  consciousness  and  motives 
seem  utterly  extinguished  by  his  absorbing 
solicitude  and  aflToction  for  his  converts.  It  is 
only  the  superficial  reader  who  finds  in  these 
verses  but  the  lightly  uttered  sentiments  of 
a  transient  hour,  and  fails  to  discern  the 
meaning  of  this  transcript  of  spiritual  his- 
tory.    They  do  'ndeed  make  heart-music  to 


doctrine  and  precept;  they  warm  and  enliven 
didactic  discourse.  But  more.  As  the  gos- 
pels set  before  us,  not  a  body  of  doctrine,  but 
a  living  Christ,  the  Jesus  of  history,  so  the 
epistles  of  Paul  bring  before  us  a  living 
apostle,  in  whom  Christ  was  revealed  as  a 
personal,  visible  example  to  the  church.  It 
may  be  questioned  whether  the  apostolic  writ- 
ings convey  any  facts  or  truths  of  profounder 
interest  and  importance,  than  are  wrapt  up 
in  these  and  other  similar  heart-utterances 
of  the  great  apostle.  A  careful  study  will 
show  that  they  are  not  the  ordinary  com- 
monplaces of  emotional  rhetoric.  They  are 
the  singularly  exact  and  truthful  expressions 
of  an  inward  life,  made  more  impressive  from 
known  details  of  external  history,  such  as  in 
the  present  instance  are  furnished  us  in  tlie 
seventeenth  of  Acts,  and  in  the  letter  itself. 

9.  For  what  thanks  can  Ave  render, 
again  to  God  for  you.  Tur' — to  justify 
the  bold  figure  he  had  just  emi)l()ycd  by  call- 
ing to  mind  the  greatness  of  the  blessing. 
This  is  the  third  outburst  of  thanksgiving 
we  find  in  the  letter;  especially'  called  forth 
by  the  intelligence  just  now  received  of 
their  steadfastness.  "As  he  still  thinks  of  it 
his  emotions  deepen  and  swell  into  a  flood  of 
joy  which  can  only  utter  itself  in  praise." 
Prayer  and  thanksgiving  are  inseparable  in 
the  apostle' s  practice,  as  they  are  in  his  precept ; 
See  Phil.  4  :  6.  We  joy  for  yonr  sakes 
before  our  God — a  pure,  holy  joy,  which  is 
not  hindered,  but  heightened,  because  it  is  in 
his  presence;  standing  in  full  view  of  God, 
his  exultation  only  swells  in  a  higher,  stronger 
tide. 

10.  Night  and  day  praying  exceedingly. 
The  participle  'praying'  follows  the  verb 
'joy,'  and  has  a  descriptive  force ;  his  rejoic- 
ing issues  in  prayer  all  the  more  constant  and 
earnest  (compare  2  :  17),  that  he  may  again  bo 
with  them,  not  in  heart  only,  but  in  person. 
'Exceedingly'  is  an  emphatic  compound,  ren- 
dered by  two  words  in  Eph.  3  :  20:  "that  is 
able  to  do  exceeding  ahundnntly  nhove  all  that 
we  ask  or  think."    Might  perfect  that  which 


Ch.  III.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


43 


11  Now  God  hiiuself  antl  our  Father,  and  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  direct  our  way  uiilo  you. 

12  And  the  Lord  make  you  to  increase  and  abound 
in  love  one  toward  another,  aud  toward  all  Men,  even 
as  we  </o  toward  you  : 

13  'lo  the  cud  he  may  stablish  your  hearts  unblanie- 
able  in  huliiiess  b(  fore  God,  even  our  Fatherj  at  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  JesUS  Christ  with  all  his  saints. 


11  Now  may  '  ()ur  God  and  Father  himself,  and  our 

12  Lord  Jesus,  direct  our  way  unlo  you:  and  the  Ivord 
make  you  to  increase  anti  abound  in  love  one  toward 
another,  and  toward  all  men,  even  as  we  al.so  do  to- 

13  ward  you;  to  the  end  he  may  stablish  your  liearts 
unbleamablein  holiness  before  'our God  and  Father, 
at  the  'coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  with  all  bis 
saints.3 


|1  Or,  God  and  our  Father 2  Gr.  presence  3  Maoj  aucieni  auiboriiiea  add  Amen. 


is  lacking  in  your  faith.  "What  these  defi- 
ciencies of  faitli  were,  appears,  in  pai-t  at  least, 
farther  on  in  the  letter.  Their  faith  was  defi- 
cient in  knowledge  in  many  points.  On  one 
of  these  Paul  proceeds  to  give  instruction  in 
tiie  latter  part  of  the  next  chapter.  On  its 
practical  side,  too,  their  faith  needed  perfect- 
ing. To  supply  what  was  lacking,  to  make  those 
who  abounded  abound  still  more — this  object 
urged  his  return.  See  note  on  '  establish  you,' 
ver.  2  above.  "Very  frequent  indeed  in 
Paul's  writings  are  the  intimations  of  a  strong 
desire  and  purpose  to  lead  the  churches 
onward  to  ever  higher  and  clearer  and  more 
enlarged  regions  of  faith."     (Liilie. ) 

11-13.  His  wish  (not  strictly  a  prayer,  but 
expressing  the  substance  of  a  praj'er)  for  his 
speedy  return  to  them  and  for  their  abounding 
growtli  in  Christian  love. 

11.  Now  (may)  God  himself  and  our 
Father,  In  the  Greek  'himself  is  strongly 
emphatic,  and  seems  designed  "to  place  in 
contrast  the  human  agent  with  his  earnest  but 
foiled  efforts  (ch.  2  :  is)  and  God  who,  if  he 
willed,  could  instantly  and  surely  accomplish 
Jill."  (Ellicott.)  It  turns  the  reader's  thought 
to  God  as  the  Supreme  Disposer  of  events. 
And  our  Lord  Jesus.  In  2  Thess.  2  :  16  the 
benediction  invokes  both  the  Father  and 
Christ,  but  in  the  reverse  order,  the  emphatic 
pronoi'n  being  prefixed  to  our  Lord's  name. 
"  Nov  >ur  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  himself  and 
God  v-ar  Father,"  etc.  In  both  places  the 
double  subject  is  followed  (in  the  original)  by 
a  singular  verb,  a  fact,  however,  on  which  the 
latitude  of  Greek  usage  forbids  us  to  lay  spe- 
cial stress.  Direct  our  way — 'direct'  in  its 
original  sense — opeji,  make  straight  and  clear 
a  way  by  which  we  maj'  come.  Compare 
with  this  and  the  preceding  two  verses,  Rom. 
1  :  9,  10:  "Always  in  my  praj'ers  making  re- 
quest, if  by  any  means  now  at  length  I  may 
be  prospered  by  the  will  of  God  to  come  unto 
you." 

12.  And  the  Lord  make  you  to  increase 


and  abound.  'You'  (at  the  beginning  of 
the  sentence  in  Greek)  has  a  slight  emphasis. 
'The  Lord,'  meaning  Christ.  For  Christ  is 
natned  "  tiie  Lord"  in  the  context  immedi- 
ately befoi-e  and  after  (ver.  u,  13) ;  moreover, 
this  is  the  prevailing  usage  in  Paul's  writings. 
The  first  person  of  tiie  Trinity  is  expressly  dis- 
tinguished in  the  verse  just  named  as  "our 
God  and  Father."  Blunt,  "Annotated  Bible," 
following  Basil  and  Theophylact,  understands 
'Lord'  as  referring  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  "the 
gift  of  love,"  he  says,  "being always  regarded 
as  a  gift  bestowed  especially  by  him."  But 
there  is  no  intimation  in  the  New  Testament 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  giver  of  love  in 
distinction  from  joy,  peace,  and  other  gifts, 
which  are  ascribed  both  to  Christ  and  the 
Spirit  as  their  source.  On  'abound,'  see  note 
on  ver.  1  of  the  next  chapter.  In  love  to 
one  another  and  toward  all.  Below  (*  ■  9.) 
they  are  directly  exhorted  to  abound  in 
brotherly  love.  Here  the  apostle's  desire 
views  it  as  the  result  of  the  divine  agency  in 
the  soul :  'Mixy  the  Lord  "give  the  increase." 
Love  not  only  to  believers  but  to  all.  Christian 
love  widens  so  as  to  take  in  all  men,  even  one's 
enemies.  A  universal  Christian  experience. 
Even  as  we — that  is,  even  as  we  increase  and 
abound  in  love  toward  you. 

13.  To  the  end  he  may  establish,  etc. 
Holiness  is  viewed  as  the  goal  of  their  spirit- 
ual career.  Toward  the  goal  of  being  finally 
unblamable  in  holiness  their  faith  is  to 
make  constant  progress  "working  through 
love.''  This  consummation  is  to  be  a  matter 
of  revelation  and  attestation  before  God  even 
{and)  our  Father.  See  this  same  phrase  in 
1:3;  and  with  its  use  in  this  connection  com- 
pare 2:  19:  "before  our  Lord  Jesus  at  his 
coming."  At  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
with  all  his  saints.  See  note  on  4  :  1').  The 
first  occurrence  of  the  word  coming  (napov<ria) 
in  the  epistles  is  above  in  2  :19.  His  saints, 
namely,  angels  and  glorified  men  together. 
The  word  'saints'  is  here  used  probably  in  its 


44 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Ij^URTHERMORE  then  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  and 
exhort  yon  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  as  ye  have 
received  of  us  liow  ye  ought  to  walk  and  to  please  God, 
so  ye  would  abound  more  and  more. 


1  Finally  then,  brethren,  we  beseech  and  exhort  you 
in  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  as  ye  received  of  us  how"  ye 
ought  to  walk  and  to  please  God,  even  as  ye  do  walk, 


wider  scriptural  sense,  including  the  former. 
Compare  Deut.  33  :  22;  Jude  14.  Christ  is  to 
coiiie  attended  by  angels :  Matt.  25  :  31;  "  But 
wlien  tlie  Son  of  Man  siiall  come  in  his  glory, 
and  all  the  angels  with  him;"  also  2  Thess. 
1  :  7.  A.\iio  by  redeemed  ynen.  See  4  :  14,  below, 
with  the  present  passage.  The  latter  is  the 
prevailing  New  Testament  meaning  of  the 
word. 

Chapters  IV.,  \.— Second  Portion  of  the 
Epistle. 

Ch.  4  :  1-13.  Exhortations  to  Sexual  Pur- 
ity (1-8);  to  Brotherly  Love  and  other  Duties 
(9-12). — The  general  scojie  of  the  first  eight 
verses  is  unmistakable,  though  on  several  de- 
tails of  definition  interpreters  are  ftir  from 
being  agreed.  The  following  paraphrase  will 
sketch  the  course  of  thought  as  explained  in 
the  subsequent  notes : 

"We  have  opened  our  hearts  to  you,  breth- 
ren, we  have  told  you  our  desires  and  prayers; 
hear  our  closing  words  of  exhortation.  When 
in  Thessalonica  we  taught  you  what  your  daily 
life  should  be  in  order  to  please  God.  Ye  do 
thus  live.  But  we  beseech  and  exhort  you,  as 
those  who  abide  together  with  you  in  living 
fellowship  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  ye  more 
and  more  excel  therein.  You  know  the  com- 
mands which,  coming  through  Jesus  to  us,  we 
gave  to  you.  Do  you  ask  what  will  be  pleas- 
ing to  God — what  his  will  regarding. each  one 
of  you  is?  It  is  this,  your  sanctification,  that 
ye  maybe,  as  I  said  above,  'unblameable  in 
holiness' ;  in  particular,  that  you  keep  your- 
selves from  sexual  impurity;  this  implies,  for 
one  thing,  that  each  of  you  make  himself 
master  of  his  own  body,  regarding  it  as  a 
thing  holy  and  honorable,  not  employing  it  in 
lustful  passion,  as  do  the  Gentiles,  men  who 
know  not  God  ;  and  secondly,  that  there  be 
no  gratifying  of  licentious  desire  at  the  ex- 
pense of  a  Christian  brother's  honor  or  happi- 
ness. For,  remember.  God  will  take  vengeance 
for  all  these  things.  We  earnestly  forewarned 
you  on  that  point.  As  we  said  above,  God's 
will  contemplates  your  sanctification,  not  a  life 
of  impurity.     Remember,  therefore,  that  any  , 


breach  of  these  commands  is  to  defy  not  our 
authority,  but  God's— the  authority  of  him 
who  liath  made  these  very  bodies  of  yours  the 
temples  of  his  Holy  Spirit." 

1.  Furthermore  then,  we  beseech  you, 
brethren,  and  exhort  you.  'Furthermore' 
(Revised  Version,  finally),  a  word  used  here 
"to  mark  the  transition  to  the  close  of  the 
epistle,"  as  in  2 Thess.  3:  1;  Phil.  8  :  1.  'Then' 
hardly  indicates  an  immediate  connection  with, 
or  inference  from  the  preceding  verse,  as  nuiin- 
tained  by  Riggenbach  and  others;  it  serves 
rather  to  introduce  thouglits  in  accord  with  the 
tone  or  thought  of  the  letter  thus  far;  thus 
used,  it  has  a  contimmtive  or  collective  force. 
On  '  exhort,'  see  note  on  2  :  3  and  on  2  :  11. 
By  {in)  the  Lord  Jesus.  "The  whole  ap- 
peal is  made  in  Christ ;  as  by  one  who  is 
united  to  liim,  and  in  virtue  of  that  union." 
(Vaughan.)  Both  the  entreaty  and  the  exhor- 
tation will  be  void  and  forceless,  except  as 
appealing  to  Christian  motives,  as  operating 
within  the  sphere  of  the  regenerate  life.  Such, 
for  the  most  part,  was  the  apostolic  Paraclesis 
— that  is,  exhortation.  See  I'hil.  2  :  1.  As 
ye  have  received  of  us.  Tiie  explicit  apos- 
tolic teaching  and  example  were  to  be  author- 
itative rule  to  their  converts.  What  they  re- 
ceived from  the  apostles  was  what  the  apostles 
received  from  Christ.  So  it  is  distinctlj'  taught 
in  1  Cor.  11  :  1,  2,  23;  Gal.  1  :  12,  and  else- 
where. To  walk  and  to  please  God — 
that  is,  'and  (thus)  to  please  God,'  indicating 
the  end  and  aim  of  the  'walk,'  the  Chris- 
tian's first  desire.  This  delightful  and  inspir- 
ing conception  of  Christian  endeavor,  namely', 
to  please  God,  to  please  Christ,  is  one  not  in- 
frequent with  Paul.  See  Col.  1  :  10,  "to  walk 
worthily  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing"; 
compare  1  Cor.  7  :  32;  2  Tim.  2  :  4.  "They 
who  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God,"  he 
asserts.  (Rom.  8:8.)  The  phrase  well  embodies 
the  spirit  of  that  service  of  freedom  and  glad- 
ness into  which  the  believer  has  entered  under 
the  perfect  law  of  lil)ert3'.  He  desires  no 
longer  to  please  himself  (Rom.  is:  i),  or  to  please 
man  (Gai.  i :  lo),  but  God,  wlio  proveth  the  heart. 
(2:4),  "liim  who  enrolled  him  as  a  soldier." 


Ch.  IV.] 


I.  THESSALOXIANS. 


45 


2  For  yc  know  what  commaudments  we  gave  you  by  ; 
the  Loid  Jesus. 

3  For  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sauctiflcatiou, 
that  ye  should  absiaiu  troiu  fornicatiou  : 


2  — that   ye   abound   more  and  more.     Fur  ye  know 
whai  'charge  we  gave  you  through  the  Lord  JeHUS. 

3  For  this  is  ihe  will  of  (jod,c.ien  your  sauciilicalion, 


1  Gr.  chargr.t. 


(2  Tim.  2 : 4,  Rev.  ver.)  Rescued  froiii  the  Stem  and 
hopeless  bondage  of  the  h\w,  Paul  naturally 
viewed  his  new  life  as  a  service  of  love  and 
gratitude,  its  obedience  as  the  spontaneous 
product  of  a  new  life  force.  Ye  would 
abound  more  and  more.  'Abound,'  an- 
other frequent  term  with  the  apostle.  He  was 
himself  ever  "pressing  toward  the  mark." 
From  whatever  height  he  had  reached  came 
baciv  a  constant  "Excelsior"  to  his  followers. 

2.  For  ye  know  what  commandments — 
or,  it  should  probably  be  charges,  as  in  the 
margin  of  Revision.  By  (or,  through)  the 
Lord  Jesus — using  the  authority  vested  in 
us  by  him.  The  commandments  given  to 
you  were  his,  not  ours  only.  A  similar  use 
of  the  preposition  is  found  in  1  Cor.  1 :  10,  also 
Acts  1  :  2. 

3-5.  For  this  is  the  Avill  of  God.  To 
these  readers  desiring  'to  please  God,'  the 
mention  of  commands  'through  the  Lord 
Jesus'  would  naturally  suggest  the  inquiry, 
"  What  is  God's  will?  What  is  it  that  God 
desires  of  us,  to  whicli  you  now  refer?  "  From 
this  starting  point  in  matters  of  Christian  ob- 
ligation, the  apostle  begins  an  emphatic  exhor- 
tation to  chastity.  Vaughan  and  others  err  in 
advocating  the  unidiomatic  translation,  "  a 
will  of  God."  The  Greek  is  equivalent  to 
"God's  will,"  of  which  'the  will  of  God'  is 
merel3'  a  synonymous  form.  It  is  '  this,'  says 
the  apostle;  namely,  your  sanctification — 
that  you  be  sanctified,  become  holy.  (Lev.  i9:2.) 
"Ye  shall  be  holy,  for  I,  the  Lord  j'our  God, 
urn  holy."  Compare  "unblameable  in  holi- 
ness" in  3:13.  The  believer  is  here  ex- 
horted to  do  for  himself  that  which  in  3  :  13 
is  viewed  as  the  work  or  the  gift  of  God; 
but  the  agency  of  the  Spirit  is  also  assumed 
in  the  present  passage,  ver.  8. 

That  ye  should  abstain  from  fornica- 
tion. With  this  clause  begins  a  tlireefold 
specification  of  one  particular  and  important 
duty  involved  in  the  purpose  and  the  obliga- 
tion of  the  believer's  sanctification.  There 
are  three  clauses,  each  being  a  specifying  ap- 
positive  to  "sanctification"  : 

1.  That  ye  abstain  from  fornication. 


2.  That  each  of  you  .  .  .  possess  himself  of 
his  own  vessel. 

«  3.  That  no  man  transgress  and  wrong  his 
brother  in  the  matter. 

This  analysis  assumes  that  the  whole  para- 
graph, to  the  end  of  the  eighth  verse,  treats 
of  the  duty  of  chastity.  The  correctness  of 
the  analysis  depends  chiefly  on  the  proper 
reference  of  the  phrase,  "in  the  matter" 
(ver. 7),  a  point  which  will  be  considered  in 
its  place. 

'  Fornication '  (see  Acts  15  :  20,  29)  includes, 
as  generally  in  the  Acts  and  the  Epistles, 
all  illicit  commerce  of  the  sexes.  This  was 
the  one  conspicuous  form  of  immorality  in 
the  ancient  world,  whether  Oriental,  Greek, 
or  Roman.  As  Di-.  Hackett  reniarks,  "The 
heathen  mind  had  beconie  so  corrupt  as 
almost  to  have  lost  the  idea  of  chastity  as  a 
virtue."  Unchastity  was  glorified  in  poetry, 
all  the  arts  had  combined  to  make  it  pleasing 
as  well  as  seductive,  and  in  the  worship  of  not 
a  few  Pagan  deities,  it  had  secured  for  itself 
the  sanctions  of  religion.  "The  Jews,  as  a 
nation,  were  probably  the  purest  among  ail 
the  races  of  mankind,  j-et  even  the3'  did  n(  t 
regard  this  sin  as  being  the  moral  crime  which 
Christianity  teaches  us  to  consider  it ;  and  they 
lived  in  the  midst  of  a  world  which  regarded 
it  as  so  completely  a  matter  of  indifference 
that.  Socrates  has  no  censure  for  it,  and 
Cicero  declares  that  no  Pagan  moralist  even 
dreamt  of  mooting  it  with  an  ab.-olute  pro- 
hibition." (Farrar,  "Life  and  Work  of  St. 
Paul,"  ch.  xxii.)  Hence  the  unceasiner  ad- 
monitions of  Paul,  especially  in  his  letters 
to  the  Greek  churches — notably,  to  the  Cor- 
inthians. 

That  every  one  of  you  should  know 
how  to  possess  his  vessel  —  a  most  im- 
portant precept,  and  fundamental  to  tlie  whole 
exhortation.  Chastity  is  more  than  mere 
abstinence  from  illicit  intercourse.  It  implies 
the  proper  care  and  government  of  the  body, 
which  is  to  be  got  possession  of  and  con- 
trolled for  holy  and  honorable  service,  not 
in  the  passion  of  lust.  "The  body  is  not  for 
fornication,   but  for  the  Lord."     See  1  Cor. 


46 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


4  That  every  one  of  you  should  know  how  to  possess 
his  vessel  in  sanciiticatidU  and  honour; 

5  Not    iu   the    lust    ol'   conciipisceuce,   even    as  the 
Geuliles  which  know  not  God: 


4  that  ye   abstain   from   fornication ;    that  each  one 
of  you   know   how   to  possess   himself  of  his  own 

5  vessel  in  sanctificatiou  and  honour,  not  in  the  pas- 
sion _  of  lust;  even   as   the  Gentiles  who  know   not 


G  :  13,  and  the  whole  passage.  '  Vessel'  ((tmOos), 
in  the  sense  of  body.  So  in  2  Cor.  4:7,  "  But 
we  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels"  ;  in 
1  Peter  3  :  7,  "  Giving  honour  unto  the  wornaii 
as  unto  the  weaker  vessel,"  in  which  latter 
passage,  the  reference  to  the  physical  frame  is 
at  least  predominant.  "  To  possess  his  vessel," 
or,  as  in  Kevised  Version,  "To  possess  himself 
of  his  own  vessel,"  is  to  bring  it  under  his  con- 
trol, obtain  the  mastery  over  it,  and  that  for 
God's  service,  as  is  implied  by  the  additional 
plirase.  The  duty  of  sanctifying  the  body,  of 
bringing  it  into  holy  subjection,  is  much  in- 
sisted on  by  Paul.  (Rom. 6:12.)  "Let  not  sin 
therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye 
should  obey  the  lusts  thereof."  Compare  ver. 
I'J  of  the  same  chapter;  also  Rom.  7  :  6;  1 
Cor.  9  :  27.  "I  butfet  my  body  and  bring  it 
into  bondage."  Especially  see  1  Cor.  6: 13-20. 
"But  the  body  is  not  for  fornication,  but  for 
the  Lord  .  .  .  Glorify  God  therefore  in  your 
body."  'Possess  himself  is  the  same  word 
rendered  "  win"  in  Luke  21  :  19 — "In  your 
patience  ye  shall  vnn  your  souls" — that  is,  ye 
shall  gain  possession  o/your  souls,  save  them 
for  the  everlasting  life  of  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom. In  sanctification  and  honour— de- 
noting the  mode  and  spirit  in  which  the 
requirement  is  to  be  fulfilled.  The  believer 
will  hold  his  body  sacred  and  honorable — not 
only  as  the  good  handiwork  of  God,  but  be- 
cause of  its  new  purpose  and  destiny  as  a 
habitation  of  tlie  Holy  Spirit,  and  an  heir  of 
the  resurrection.  (1  Cor.  6: 19.)  "  Know  ye  not 
that  your  body  is  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
which  is  in  you  ?  "  (itiii.  3 :  21.)  The  Lord  Jesus 
Ciirist  "shall  fashion  anew  the  body  of  our 
humiliation,  that  it  may  be  conformed  to  the 
body  <if  his  glory."  Compare  also  Rom.  8  :  11, 
23.  Not  in  the  lust  of  concupiscence — or, 
Not  in  the  passion  of  hist.  In  strongest  con- 
trast to  the  holy  and  honorable  use  of  the 
bod3-,  is  set  the  abuse  of  it  under  the  influence 
of  evil  desire,  'lust,'  which,  in  effect,  becomes 
'passion,'  a  power  enslaving  the  man.  In 
illustration  of  his  meaning,  Paul  had  only  to 
point  to  the  Gentiles  which  know  not  God 
— their  vice  and  degradation  is  not  so  much 
to  be  wondered  at,  for  they  know  not  God.   See 


elsewhere  this  same  generic  classification  of 
the  Gentiles.  (Gai. 4:8;  aihess. i:8.)  Of  repro- 
bate Jews,  he  says  (TUusme),  "They  profess 
that  they  know  God ;  but  by  their  works  they 
deny  him." 

The  above  interpretation  of  these  two  verses 
— namely,  that  they  enjoin  upon  each  believer 
the  sanctified  use  of  his  own  body — is  substan- 
tially that  of  the  following  authorities:  Chrys- 
ostom,  Theodoret,  and  Theophylact  among 
the  Greek  Fathers;  of  Calvin,  Bengel,  Pelt, 
Olshausen,  Mej^er,  Vaughan,  and  many  others 
among  the  moderns.  But  the  majority,  of  re- 
cent commentators  adopt  a  different  interpre- 
tation ;  that  'vessel'  is  figurative  for  "wife," 
and  that  the  precept  enjoins  upon  each  man 
to  free  liimself  from  the  temptation  to  forni- 
cation by  holy  and  honorable  wedlock.  For 
this  view  are  cited  Theodore  of  Mopsuestia 
and  Augustine;  among  many  later  authorities 
are  Schoettgen,  DeWette,  Riggenbach,  Alford, 
Ellicott,  Dods,  Boise,  Grimm.  In  its  favor  are 
urged  the  following  considerations  : 

(1)  The  equivalent  of  the  word  (o-zceOos)  here 
rendered  'vessel'  is  sometimes  found  in  the 
Rabbinic  writings  in  the  sense  named.  (Alford, 
it  should  be  stated,  extends  the  exhortation  to 
female  as  well  as  male,  "the  female  being  in- 
cluded by  implication,  and  bound  to  interpret 
on  her  side  that  which  is  said  of  the  other.") 

To  this  first  argument  it  may  be  replied  that 
the  assigned  meaning  is  not  elsewhere  found  in 
the  New  Testament.  Appropriate  enough  to 
the  coarse  phraseology  of  the  Talmud,  it  seems 
wholly  unsuitable  to  the  manner  of  Paul. 

(2)  The  expression  (KTaaflai  ywa'iKa),  "to  ac- 
quire, or  possess  one's  self  of,  a  wife,"  is  fre- 
quent both  with  Jewish  and  Greek  writers. 

True,  but  in  order  to  justify  the  meaning 
assigned  to  the  passage,  we  need  an  instance 
of  the  phrase  "acquire  one's  own  tnife^'  in  the 
sense  of  "acquire  a  wife  for  one's  self."  Those 
who  advocate  the  above  interpretation  must, 
it  is  evident,  take  the  pronoun  not  onlj'  in  its 
emphatic^  but  in  \i?' proleptic  sense;  to  acquire 
a  wife  to  be  his  own — that  is, /o/-  himself.  The 
latter  is  the  phraseologj'  in  the  Septuagint  ren- 
dering of  Ruth  4  :  10,  one  of  the  instances  cited 
by  Liinemann  to  sustain  his  interpretation. 


Ch.  IV.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


47 


6  That  no  man  go  beyond  and  defraud  his  brother  in 
any  matter:  because  ili'at  the  Lord  is  the  averij^er  of  all 
such,  as  we  also  have  forewarned  vou  and  te»litjed. 


6  (iod  ;  that  no  man  '  transgress,  and  wrong  his  brother 
in  the  matter  :  because  the  Lord  is  an  avenger  in  all 
these  things,  as  also  sve  "forewarned  you  and  testi- 


1  Or,  overriach 2  Or,  (old  you  plainly. 


(3)  The  analog^'  of  1  Cor.  7:2:  "  But  because 
of  furiiicatioiis,  let  each  man  have  his  own  wife, 
and  let  each  woman  have  her  own  hu.sband." 
To  this  we  reply  that  the  proper  parallel  to 
the  verses  we  are  considering  (4,  o)  is  rather  to 
be  found  in  the  close  of  the  sixth  of  1  Cor- 
inthians. There,  as  bore,  Paul  begins  by  em- 
phasizing forniciition  as  a  sin  against  a  man's 
own  body;  he  then  proceeds  in  the  seventh 
chapter  to  develop  the  mutual  duties  of  hus- 
band and  wife  as  connected  with  this  subject. 
Here,  if  we  take  the  language  in  its  obvious 
force,  each  one  is  exhorted  to  get  possession  of 
semething  that  is  already  his  own;  that  is,  to 
subject  it  to  his  own  will  in  the  practice  of  that 
which  is  holy  and  honorable,  as  contrasted 
with  the  degrading  immorality  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. As  pointed  out  above,  this  inculcation 
of  sexual  purity  on  the  ground  of  the  sacred- 
ness  of  the  body  is  eminently  characteristic  of 
the  apostle's  method. 

(4)  The  Gr reck  pronoun  (eauToC),  "his  own," 
occupies  an  emphatic  position,  whereas  "a 
reference  to  the  body  of  an  individual  cannot 
be  emphatic."     (Liinemann,  Alford,  Dods. ) 

On  the  contrar3%  the  pronoun,  though  it 
may  be  considered  emphatic  liere,  is  not  so  by 
virtue  of  its  position.  Its  regular  position  is 
between  tlie  article  and  the  noun,  as  in  the 
present  instance;  an  examination  of  classical 
Greek  writers,  as  well  as  the  critical  texts  of 
the  New  Testament,  will  abundantly  confirm 
tliis  statement.  Further,  that  "a  reference  to 
the  /jody  of  an  individual  cannot  be  emphatic," 
its  Liinemann  asserts,  is  contradicted  by  such 
passages  as  1  Cor.  6:  18:  "He  that  commit- 
teth  fornication  sinneth  against  his  own  body  "  ; 
so  also  1  Cor.  7  :  4. 

The  above  embrace  the  principal  arguments 
urged  by  Liinemann,  Alford,  and  others;  that 
they  are  insufficient  to  sustain  their  interpreta- 
tion is  evident.  On  the  otlier  hand,  we  are  led 
to  adopt  the  rendering  body  by  the  following 
positive  and  distinct  considerations: 

First,  it  retains  a  recognized  New  Testament 
meaning  of  (o-<cevo«),  vessel,  as  has  been  shown 
above. 

Second,  this  rendering  of  the  sentence  pre- 
serves the  precise  force  of  the  verb  {tiSevai), 


'know  ht)vv  to,'  which  plainly  exhorts  not  to 
any  one  action  (for  example,  the  obtaining  of 
a  wife),  but  to  a  habitual  or  i)ermanent  state 
of  the  subject  (for  example,  the  control  of  the 
bodily  appetites  and  passions)  ;  it  iini)lies  that 
a  power  is  to  be  acquired,  not  merely  an  act 
performed.  See,  in  illtistration  of  this  point, 
examples  of  this  verb  "to  know  how,"  in  Phil. 
4  :  12 ;  1  Tim.  3:5;  James  4  :  17 ;  2  Peter  2  :  9. 

Third,  it  is  the  only  natural  and  obvious 
sense  of  the  expression  'possess  himself  of  his 
own,'  as  found  in  the  original;  indeed,  it  is 
the  senSe  required  by  the  position  of  the  Greek 
pronoun  (eouroG),  "his  own." 

Fourth,  the  clause  contained  in  ver.  4,  5, 
enjoins,  if  the  sentence  is  thus  understood,  a 
fundamental  and  universal  dut3'.  It  contains 
the  leading  precept  of  the  passage,  as  indeed 
th*  adjuncts  'in  sanctification  and  honour,  not 
in  the  passion  of  lust,'  etc.,  seem  designed  to 
make  it.  The  whole  exhortation  takes  on  that 
comprehensive  character  which  the  opening 
words  in  ver.  3  lead  us  to  expect.  It  is  an  out- 
line of  the  fuller  instruction  on  this  vital  theme 
to  the  churches  of  that  day,  which  the  apostle 
afterward  communicates  in  First  Corinthians. 

It  may  also  be  added  that  if  one  carefully 
considers  the  relation  of  the  phrase  'in  sancti- 
fication and  honour'  to  the  preceding,  a  phrase 
evidently  intended  to  describe  the  manner  and 
spirit  of  the  procedure  enjoined,  its  appropri- 
ateness at  once  appears,  as  api)lied  to  the  Chris- 
tian's consecration  of  his  body;  on  the  other 
interpretation,  the  phrase  seems  rather  de- 
signed by  the  context  to  denote  purpose.  I 
take,  therefore,  the  following  as  expressing  the 
true  sense  of  the  passage:  this  is  the  will  of 
God  .  .  .  that  each  one  of  you  be  able  to 
obtain  control  of  his  own  bod3',  using  it  in 
holy  and  honorable  service,  not  abusing  it  in 
lustful  passion,  as  do  the  Gentiles. 

6.  That  no  man  ffo  beyond  (or,  tnnis- 
(jres.t)  and  defrand  (or,  wron(})  his  brother 
in  any  (t/ie)  matter — the  third  of  the  specifi- 
cations, included  in  that  personal  'sanctifica- 
tion' which  'the  will  of  God'  requires.  But 
the  clause  itself  is  obscure.  Either  from  our 
insufficient  knowledge  of  the  current  phrase- 
ology of  the  time,  or  because  Paul  intention- 


48 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


ally  used  vague  language,  preferring  to  hint 
his  meaning  rather  than  express  it  too  clearly, 
the  reader  of  to-day  is  unable  to  tell  certainly 
what  'the  matter'  referred  to  is,  or  precisely 
what  kind  of  defrauding  or  wrong  to  a  brother 
is  forbidden.  Let  us  notice  lirst  the  preceding 
terms  of  the  verse.  Transgress  is  literally 
"overpass,"  the  Greek  word  not  being  else- 
where found  in  the  New  Testament.  Com- 
pare the  Septuagint,  Jer.  5  :  22,  "which  have 
placed  the  sand  for  the  bound  of  the  sea,  .  .  . 
tliat  it  cannot  pass  (literally,  overpass)  it." 
The  word  (n-Aeoi'txTeii'),  rendered  in  the  Com- 
mon Version  '  defraud,'  in  the  Revision,  wrong, 
properly  means  "to  get  or  seek  more"  (than 
one's  share),  "to  enrich  one's  self  at  the  ex- 
pense of  another."  This  is  its  signification  in 
2  Cor.  12  :  17,  18,  where  it  is  translated  "take 
advantage  of"  ;  similarly,  2  Cor.  2  :  11 :  "that 
no  advantage  may  be  gained  over  us  by 
Satan."  Its  corresponding  noun  is  usually 
rendered  "covetousness"  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, but  may  denote  selfish  grasping,  insati- 
ate desire  of  any  sort.  '  His  brother'  denotes, 
as  below  in  ver.  10,  a  fellow-believer.  No 
emphasis,  however,  belongs  on  this  part  of  the 
sentence,  as  if  the  Thessalonians  were  only 
forbidden  to  wrong  Christians  in  the  manner 
referred  to.  As  to  the  phrase  'In  the  matter' 
Uee  Revised  Version),  the  observations  just 
made  on  the  verbs  "transgress"  and  "wrong" 
go  to  show  that  it  is  susceptible  of  two  expla- 
nations : 

(1)  The  matter  ji(st  referred  to,  of  sexual 
purity.  So  the  phrase  was  understood  by 
Chrysostom,  Theodoret,  Theophylact ;  among 
the  moderns  by  Bengel,  EUicott,  Alford,  Vau- 
ghan,  Lillie,  and  others;  the  Revision  also 
evidently  favors  this  explanation.  It  is  thus 
viewed  as  specifically  forbidding  adultery. 
Chrj'sostom  says:  "For  to  each  man  God  has 
assigned  a  wife,  and  has  set  bounds  to  nature, 
allowing  intercourse  with  but  one  only  ;  there- 
fore intercourse  with  another  is  transgression 
and  robber\',  and  the  taking  of  more  thaa 
belongs  to  one ;  or,  rather,  it  is  more  cruel  than 
any  robbery;  for  we  grieve  not  so  much  when 
our  riches  are  carried  ofl^,  as  when  marriage  is 
invaded." 

(2)  The  second  class  of  interpreters  take  it 
to  mean  :  in  your  business  dealings  with  breth- 
ren. Liinemann:  "in  the  business  (now  or 
at  any  time  in  hand)"  ;  "VViner  ("Grammar," 


page  143) ;  "in  business  (in  business  affairs)." 
Similarly  (either  to  Liineriiann  or  to  Winer), 
De  Wette,  Riggenbach,  and  others.  Thus 
taken,  the  words  contain  a  precept  against 
covetousness  and  selfish  dealing.  But  "in 
business"  is  nowhere  else  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase  found  in  the  original,  and  hence,  in  the 
face  of  the  context,  it  is  difiicult  to  accept  this 
definition.  Liinemann,  it  may  be  added,  takes 
the  words  as  co-ordinate,  instead  of  appositive, 
with  "your  sanctification";  he  takes  Paul  as 
declaring  this  to  be  God's  will:  1.  Your  sane-, 
tification.  2.  That  j'ou  be  not  covetous  toward 
your  brethren. 

According  to  (2)  of  the  above  interpreta- 
tions, "all  these  things,"  in  the  next  clause, 
would  refer  to  the  two  classes  of  sins,  covet- 
ousness and  unchastity;  while  in  ver.  7  "un- 
cleanness"  would  be  used  in  the  broad  sense 
of  moral  impurity  generally. 

In  favor  of  (2)  are  the  following  considera- 
tions : 

1.  The  meaning  of  the  verb  (nXfovfKreXv) 
translated  in  Revised  Version  to  "wrong." 
It  describes  the  grasping  spirit,  taking  advan- 
tage of  another,  in  order  to  get  gain.  Its 
noun  (wAeovefia)  is  usuallj'  rendered  "covet- 
ousness" in  the  Revision  ;  in  2  Cor.  9  :  5,  "ex- 
tortion"; in  Eph.  4  :  19,  "greediness";  in 
Mark  7  :  22  (plural),  "  covetings." 

2.  The  article  prefixed  to  the  infinitive  seems 
slightly  to  mark  oflP  this  clause  as  a  sejiarate 
topic. 

3.  Fornication  and  covetousness  are  in  other 
New  Testament  passages  found  in  similar 
juxtaposition.  See  Eph.  5:3,  5;  Col.  3:5; 
Heb.  13  :  4,  5. 

4.  Negatively — that  on  the  other  explana- 
tion the  apostle  forbids  adultery  on  grounds 
that  are  ethically  almost  the  lowest;  namely, 
that  itis  taking  to  one's  self  what  belongs  to 
the  husband,  seeking  one's  own  pleasure  at 
the  expense  of  a  brother.  The  prohibition, 
thus  understood,  emphasizes  the  selfishness  of 
the  sin,  and  that  not  as  against  the  partner  in 
the  crime  herself  or  society  at  large,  but  against 
the  husband. 

The  contextual  evidence,  it  will  be  seen,  is 
somewhat  evenly  balanced.  But  the  absence 
of  positive  linguistic  evidence  in  favor  of  inter- 
pretation (2)  decides  against  it,  and  compels  us 
to  adopt  (1),  making  the  matter  refer  to  sexual 
purity-.     It  must,  however,  be  borne  in  mind 


Ch.  IV.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


49 


7  For  God  hath  not  called  us  unto  uncleauness,  but 
unto  boliiie^js. 

8  He  therefore  that  despiselh,  despisetb  not  man,  but 
God,  who  hath  also  given  unto  us  his  Holy  Spirit. 


ficd.  Fiir  God  called  us  not  for  unclean iiess,  but 
in  isunciitieation.  Therefore  he  that  rejeclelh,  re- 
jectelh  not  man,  but  God,  who  giveth  his  iloly 
Spirit  unto  you. 


tliat  the  force  of  the  argument  in  its  favor  may 
be  due  to  our  ignorance  of  Greelc  iingui^^tic 
usage  in  that  period,  or  in  that  region  ;  '  wrong 
in  the  matter'  (^ir^eoveKnlv  ev  tw  jrpav/uaTi)  may 
conceivably^  liave  been  a  phrase  of  tiie  time, 
denoting  sharp  practice  in  a  business  transac- 
tion— getting  tile  upper  hand  in  one's  dealings. 
A  single  instance  of  such  usage  once  discovered 
would  at  once  turn  the  scale  in  favor  of  the 
rendering  adopted  by  Winer,  Buttmann,  and 
Liinemann,  which  is  also  substantially  that  of 
the  Common  Version. 

Because  that  the  Lord  is  the  avenger 
of  such.  The  Revised  Version  gives,  is  an 
avenger  in  alt  these  things.  See  the  same 
warning  in  Eph.  5:6:  "Because  of  these 
things  cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  sons 
of  disobedience."  Bitter  as  is  the  fruit  of  this 
class  of  sins,  blasting  human  hope  and  happi- 
ness as  do  no  other — 

"  I  waive  the  quantum  o'  the  sin, 

The  hazard  o'  concealing; 

But  och !  it  hardens  a'  within, 

An'  petrifies  the  feeling  ! " 

— Burns'  "  Epistle  to  a  Young  Friend." 

— it  is  nevertheless  not  to  their  immediate 
retributive  effects  that  Paul  refers,  but  to  a 
coming  vengeance.  A  just  God,  and  a  judg- 
ment day — these  are  the  eternal  facts  with 
which  we  are  to  rouse  and  reinforce  our  con- 
sciences amid  temptation.  "  All  these  things," 
if  the  interpretation  we  have  adopted  above  be 
the  true  one,  refers  particularly  to  the  different 
forms  of  carnal  impurity.  As  we  also  have 
forewarned  you  and  testified — told  you 
beforehand,  that  is,  in  advance'of  God's  da\- 
of  vengeance;  this  seems  to  be  the  true  sense 
of  the  first  ptrt  of  the  compound  {irpoeiitaiKv)  as 
also  in  3  :  4,  above,  where  the  same  word  is 
used.  The  marginal  rendering  of  the  Revisers 
"told  you  plainly"  has  little  to  recommend  it- 
'Testified':  "bore  my  earnest  testimony"; 
the  original  is  a  strong  word  denoting  earnest 
assertion,  solemn  protest.  See  Acts  20:2G; 
1  Tim.  5  :  21  ;  2  Tim.  4  :  1. 

Here,  as  elsewhere,  Paul's  letters  are  the  echo 
of  his  previous  faithful  preaching.  See  3:4 
and  2  ;  1-12.     Some  six  years  after  this  lotter 


in  the  ear  of  Felix,  reasoning  "of  righteous- 
ness, of  temperance  (self-control),  and  the 
judgment  to  cotnc." 

7.  For  God  hath  not  called  us  unto 
uncleanness,  etc.  Returning  to  the  starting 
point  of  ver.  3— the  purpose  of  God.  Unto 
uncleanness.  The  noun,  probably  for  the 
reasons  given  above,  is  to  be  taken  in  its  spe- 
cific sense  of  carnal  impurity  rather  than  of 
moral  impurity  in  general.  Unto  (or,  i}i) 
holiness  {sanctification).  The  broad  contra.st 
between  the  two  being  chiefly  intended,  no 
especial  stress  is  to  be  laid  on  the  change  of 
preposition — "in"  as  distinguished  from  "for." 
Paul's  use  of  the  phrase  here  is  doubtless  partly 
determined  by  his  preference  for  it  in  other 
connections.  See  ver.  4  above;  3  :  13;  2 
Thess.  2:  13;  1  Tim.  2:15.  Compare  Rom. 
6 :  19,  22. 

8.  He,  therefore,  that  despiselh  is  to  be 
closely  connected  with  the  preceding  verse, 
and  through  that  with  ver.  3;  it  is  a  practical 
ad  hominem  application  of  the  solemn  declar- 
ation of  the  will  of  God.  The  verb  '  despiseth,' 
or  rejecteth,  has  reference  to  the  commands 
just  given;  "rejecteth  our  commands,"  set 
them  aside,  disregards  them.  Not  man,  but 
God.  Do  not  think  how  you  can  justify  your- 
selves to  us;  it  is  no  human  authority  that  you 
will  impugn  and  challenge  by  disobedience, 
but  that  of  God  himself.  A  reminder  of  what 
is  iTiuch  insisted  on  in  these  epistles,  that  the 
apostles  were  not  the  bearers  of  their  own  or 
any  human  message,  but  of  a  direct  revelation 
from  God — Who  hath  also  given  unto  us 
iyon)  his  Holy  Spirit.  A  climax  to  his  ex- 
hortation simihir  to  that  in  2:  12.  How  inex- 
cusable, how  aggravated  would  be  anj'  disre- 
gard of  his  commands,  considering  that  you 
have  received  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  enlightens 
your  minds,  is  purifying  your  hearts  through 
his  truth,  and  is  bestowing  an  inner  energy  by 
which  ycu  may  do  the  divine  will. 

On  the  subject  of  this  section  Jowett  says, 
in  his  detached  note  on  the  "Evils  in  the 
Church  in  the  Apostolic  Age":  "Licentious- 
ness was  the  besetting  sin  of  the  Roman  world. 
Except  by  a  miracle  it  was  impossible  that  the 
was  written  he  utters  the  same  earnest  protest  I  new  converts  could  be   at  o^nce  and  wholly 

D 


50 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


9  But  as  touching  brotherly  love  ye  need  not  that  I 
■write  unto  you:  for  ye  yourselves  are  taught  of  God 
to  love  oue  auother. 


9      But  concerning  love  of  the  brethren  ye  have  no 
need  thai  one  write  unto  you ;  for  ye  yourselves  are 


freed  from  it.  It  lingered  in  the  flesh  when 
the  spirit  had  cast  it  oflT.  It  had  interwoven 
itself  in  the  Pagan  religions,  and,  if  we  may 
believe  the  writings  of  adversaries,  was  ever 
reappearing  on  the  contines  of  the  church  in 
the  earliest  heresies.  It  was  possible  for  men 
'to  resist  unto  death,  striving  against  sin,'  yet 
to  fall  beneath  its  power.  Even  within  the 
pale  of  the  church,  it  might  assume  the  form 
of  a  mystic  Christianity'.  The  very  ecstacy  of 
conversion  would  often  lead  to  a  reaction. 
Nothing  is  more  natural  than  that  in  a  licen- 
tious city,  like  Corinth  or  Ephesus,  those  who 
were  impressed  by  St.  Paul's  teaching  should 
have  gone  their  way,  and  returned  to  their 
former  life.  In  this  case  it  would  seldom 
happen  that  they  apostatized  into  the  ranks 
of  the  heathen :  the  same  impulse  that  led 
them  to  the  gospel,  would  lead  them  also  to 
bridge  the  gulf  which  separated  them  from  its 
purer  morality.  Many  may  have  sinned  and 
repented  again  and  again,  unable  to  stand 
^  themselves    in    the   general    corruption,    yet 

unable  to  cast  aside  utterly  the  image  of  inno- 
cence and  goodness  which  the  apostle  had  set 
before  them.  There  were  those,  again,  who 
consciously  sought  to  lead  the  double  life,  and 
imagined  themselves  to  have  found  in  licen- 
tiousness the  true  freedom  of  the  gospel." 

"It  is  a  new,  and  hitherto  unheard  of  lan- 
guage, in  which  the  apostle  denounces  sins  of 
impurity.  They  are  not  moral  evils,  but  spir- 
itual. They  corrupt  the  soul ;  they  defile  the 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  they  cut  men  off 
from  the  body  of  Christ." 

"All  sin  is  spoken  of  in  the  epistles  of  St. 
Paul  as  rooted  in  human  nature  and  quick- 
ened by  the  consciousness  of  law;  but  espe- 
cially is  this  the  case  with  the  sin  which  is 
more  than  any  other  the  type  of  sin  in  general 
— fornication.  It  is,  in  a  peculiar  sense,  the 
sin  of  the  flesh,  with  which  the  very  idea  of 
the  corruption  of  the  flesh  is  closely  connected, 
just  as,  in  1  Thess.  4:  3,  the  idea  of  holiness  is 
regarded  as  almf)st  equivalent  to  abstinence 
from  the  commission  of  it.  It  is  a  sin  against 
a  man's  own  body,  distinguished  from  all 
other  sins  by  its  personal  and  individual  na- 
ture. No  other  is  at  the  same  time  so  gross 
and  .so  insidious;  no  other  partakes  so  much 


of  the  slavery  of  sin.  As  marriage  is  the  type 
of  the  communion  of  Christ  and  his  church,  as 
the  body  is  the  member  of  Christ,  so  the  sin 
of  fornication  is  a  strange  and  mysterious 
union  with  evil." 

Concerning  Brotherly  Love  and  Other  Du- 
ties.    (9-12. ) 

9.    But   as   touching   brotherly  love — a 
topic  much  dwelt  on  by  Paul,  though  the  word 
for   '  brotherly  love '   (<l>i\aSe\(jiia)  is  elsewhere 
found  in  his  epistles  onl^'  in  Rom.  12  :  10;  it 
also  occurs  in  Heb.  13  :  1;    1  Peter  1  :  22;  2 
Peter  1  :  7.      Ye  have  no  need  that  I  (one) 
write  unto  you — the   language  of  courtesy 
and  true  Christian  tact,  quick  to  recognize  the 
basis  of  good  in  those  whom  it  exhorts.     Com- 
pare 5  :  1 ;  2  Cor.  9:1.     It  was  no  empty  com- 
pliment.    The  testimony  of  history  is  ample 
as  to  the  extraordinary  mutual  aft'ection  that 
characterized  the    early  churches.     "Behold 
how  these  Christians  love  one  another!  "  was 
the  wondering  exclamation  of  unbelievers  and 
enemies.     It  was  thus  in  Jerusalem:    "The 
multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one 
heart  and  soul."     (Acts 4: 32.)     The  testimony 
of  Lucian,  the  Voltaire  of  the  second  century, 
who  lived  for  many  years  in  Antioch,  is  em- 
phatic on  this  point.     Though  an  undisguised 
enemy  of  Christianity,  he  bears  witness  to  the 
generous  beneficence  of  the  Christians  toward 
one  another.     "Thej'  give  lavishly'  all   that 
they  have   .    .    .    For  their  first  lawgiver  has 
persuaded  them  that  they  are  all  brothers." 
(" Concerningthe Death  of  Peregrinus,''  chap. 
13.)     The  new  life  in  Christ  began  at  once  to 
bear  fruit  in  works  of  love  and  charity.    Uhl- 
horn  has  freshly  illustrated  this  subject  in  his 
"Christian  Charity  in  the  Ancient  World" 
(English  translation.  New  York,  1883),  and  hae 
brought  together  much  valuable  historical  ma- 
terial.    Compare  particularly  the  chapter  "A 
"World  Without  Love,"  and  the  contrast  there 
drawn  between  Pagan  liberality  and  Christian 
charity.     For  ye  yourselves  are  tau|;ht  of 
God  to  love  one  another — you  know  the 
paramount  obligation  of  this  duty  without  in- 
struction from   us;    the  Holy  Spirit  himself 
teaches  you  this.    Compare  1  John  2 :  27,  "And 
as  for  you,  the  anointing  which  ye  received  of 
him  abideth  in  you,  and  ye  need  not  that  any 


Ch.  IV.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


51 


10  And  indeed  ye  do  it  toward  all  the  brethren  which 
are  in  all  Macedonia:  but  we  beseech  you,  brethren, 
that  ye  itierea.-e  more  and  more: 

11  And  that  ye  study  to  be  quiet,  and  to  do  your  own 
business,  and  to  work  with  your  own  hands,  as  we 
coiumauded  yi>u ; 


10  taught  of  God  to  love  one  another;  for  indeed  ye  do 
it  toward  all  the  brethren  who  are  in  all  Macedonia. 
But  we  exhort  you,  brethren,  that  ye  abound  more 

11  and  more;  and  that  ye  ^sludy  to  be  quiet,  and  to 
do  your  own  business,  atjd  to  work  with  your  hands, 


1  Gr.  6«  ambiliouM. 


one  teach  you."  The  whole  of  this  Epistle  in- 
deed is  a  commentary  on  Christ's  new  com- 
niaiidiiiciit,  to  love  one  another. 

10.  And  indeed  ye  do  it  toAvard  all  the 
brethren  which  are  in  all  Macedonia.  This 
implies,  as  remarked  by  Riggenbach,  "a  lively 
intercourse  with  the  Christians  in  Philippi, 
Berea,  and  perhaps  at  small  scattered  stations, 
offshoots  from  the  central  churches."  Their 
poverty,  and  the  environment  of  persecution, 
had  operated,  in  a  very  short  time,  to  develop 
their  s^'mpathy  and  active  beneficence.  But 
we  exhort  you,  brethren,  that  ye  increase 
(or,  abound)  more  and  more.  On  'abound,' 
see  note  on  ver.  1  above.  Paul's  letters  every- 
where reveal  the  intensest  solicitude  tliat  this 
grace  of  love  one  to  another  might  flourish  ; 
it  was  vital  to  the  welfare  of  the  church. 
Clirj'sostoin  remarks  on  another  passage:  "If 
we  confine  to  one  or  two  the  love  which  ought 
to  be  extended  to  the  whole  church  of  God, 
we  injure  both  ourselves  and  them  and  the 
whole."  Tlie  following  extract,  part  of  the 
religious  experience  of  Adoniram  Jutlson 
during  the  last  years  of  his  life,  is  itself  a 
commentary  on  this  passage;  it  is  taken  from 
one  of  Mrs.  Judson's  letters  ("Wayland,  "Life 
of  Judson,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  338):  "Another  sub- 
ject which  occupied  a  hirge  share  of  his  atten- 
tion, was  that  of  brotherly  love.  You  are  per- 
haps aware  that,  like  all  persons  of  his  ardent 
temperament,  he  was  subject  to  strong  attach- 
ments and  aversions,  which  he  sometimes  had 
difficulty  in  bringing  under  the  controlling 
influence  of  divine  grace.  He  remarked  that 
he  had  alwaj's  felt  more  or  less  of  an  affec- 
tionate interest  in  his  brethren,  as  brethren, 
and  some  of  them  he  had  loved  very  dearly 
for  their  personal  qualities ;  but  he  was  now 
awiire  that  he  had  never  placed  his  standard 
of  love  high  enough.  He  spoke  of  them  as 
children  of  God  redeemed  by  the  Saviour's 
blood,  watched  over  and  guarded  by  his  love, 
dear  to  his  heart,  honored  by  him  in  the 
election,  and  to  be  honored  hereafter  before 
the  assembled  universe;  and  he  said  it  was 
not  sufficient  to  be  kind  and  obliging  to  such. 


to  abstain  from  evil  speaking,  and  make  a 
general  mention  of  thein  in  our  prayers;  but 
our  attachtnent  to  them  sliould  be  of  the  most 
ardent  and  exalted  character:  it  would  be  so 
in  heaven,  and  we  lost  immeasurably  by  not 
beginning  now.  'As  I  have  loved  you,  so 
ought  ye  also  to  love  one  another,'  was  a  pre- 
cept continually  in  his  mind;  and  he  would 
often  murmur,  as  though  unconsciously,  '  As 

1  have  loved  you,  as  I  have  loved  you'  ;  then 
burst  oiit  with  the  exclamation,  'Oh,  the  love 
of  Christ!  the  love  of  Christ!  '  " 

11,  12.  In  the  same  breath  Paul  sends  ad- 
monition on  several  points,  regarding  which 
there  evidently  was  '  need  that  one  write'  unto 
them.  He  enjoins  to  lead  a  quiet,  orderly 
life, — to  mind  their  own  business. — to  be  in- 
dustrious in  their  daily  labor.  These  admo- 
nitions^ though  so  briefly  thrown  off  (forming, 
apparently,  a  mere  addenditm  to  a  niore  im- 
portant exhortation)  were  especially  required 
by  the  existing  circumstances  of  the  Thessa- 
lonian  Church.  This  is  manifest  from  their 
emphatic  repetition  in   the  next  epistle.     See 

2  Thess.  3  :  6-15.  And  that  ye  study.  For 
'study'  the  margin  lias  "be  ambitious.'' 
They  were  zealously  to  aspire  and  strive — 
after  what?  First,  to  be  quiet.  It  is  evi- 
dent from  this  and  from  what  immediately 
follows,  that  the  Thessalnnian  Christians  were 
in  danger  of  being  diverted  from  the  ordinary 
duties  of  life.  Expecting  the  speedy  end  of 
the  world,  that  the  hour  of  their  deliverance 
was  drawing  nigh,  they  were  becoming  rest- 
less and  impatient.  Perhaps,  already  influ- 
enced by  false  prophets  and  teachers  (see  2 
Thess.  2  :  2),  they  were  neglecting  to  watch 
in  the  spirit  enjoined  by  Christ.  They  were 
ceasing  to  "rest  in  the  Lord  and  wait  pa- 
tiently' for  him,''  and  to  work  out  their  salva- 
tion "with  fear  and  trembling."  This  excite- 
ment would  f<)steridleness,spiritiuil  dissipation, 
and  also  incline  them  to  meddle  with  matters 
beyond  their  proper  sphere,  whether  those  of 
the  church  at  large  or  the  jirivate  concerns  of 
their  brethren.  Hence,  first  of  all,  the  apostle 
admonishes  to  quietness,  not  to  sleep, — that  is, 


52 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


12  That  ye  may  walk  honestly  toward  them  that  are 
without,  auU  tkai  ye  muy  have  lack  ol  uothing. 


12  eveu  as  we  charged  you  ;  that  ye  may  walk  becom- 
ingly toward  them  tt\at  are  without,  and  may  have 
need  of  nothing. 


spiritual  indifference,  or  torpor, — but  to  a 
quiet,  orderly  (compare  the  "honestly"  in 
ver.  12)  Christiiin  life. 

Secondly,  to  do  your  own  business.  See 
2  Thess.  3  :  11,  "  For  we  hear  of  some  that 
walk  among  you  disorderly,  that  work  not  at 
all,  but  are  busy  bodies ;  also  1  Peter  4  :  15, 
*'  For  let  none  of  you  suffer  ...  as  a  meddler 
in  other  men's  matters."  "Mind  your  own 
business"  is  a  precept  or  rebuke  of  Scriptural 
authority,  and  (^f  large  legitimate  application. 
It  niaj'be  misapplied,  however,  and  especially 
to  excuse  indifference  to  the  spiritual  welfare 
of  our  neighbors.  Liinemann's  comment  on 
this  verse  perhaps  opens  the  way  for  such  mis- 
application. He  infers  that  Paul  had  in  mind 
the  "unauthorized  zeal"  of  some  who  "had 
used  the  advent  as  a  means  of  terror,  in  order 
to  draw  before  their  tribunal  what  was  a  mat- 
ter of  individual  conscience,"  and  in  this  zeal 
had  assumed  a  care  for  the  salvation  of  their 
neighbors  "  with  an  objectionable  cuijjosity." 
This  view  of  the  case  is  hardly  to  be  derived 
from  the  passage  itself. 

Thirdly,  to  work  with  your  own  hands. 
The  daily  labor  of  most  of  the  members,  that  \>y 
which  they  earned  their  livelihood,  was  doubt- 
less manual  labor.  In  orderly  industry  from 
day  to  day— thus  they  would  best  obey  the 
precept,  "Watch!";  thus  employed,  they 
would  rightly  be  waiting  their  Lord's  coming. 
Paul  could  point  to  his  own  example:  "We 
toil,  working  with  our  own  hands."  ('  cor.  4 :  12.) 
Compare  Kom.  12:  11,  Kevised  Version,  "In 
diligence  not  slothful  ;  fervent  in  Spirit,  serv- 
ing the  Lord."  Christ  himself  had  set  this 
example,  and,  as  the  carpenter  of  Nazareth, 
had  sanctified  hand  labor,  which,  among  the 
Greeks  and  Romans,  was  held  in  great  con- 
tempt. A])art  from  the  special  reasons  men- 
tioned in  the  next  verse,  which  apply  to  us  as 
well  as  to  Paul's  readers,  it  is  not  to  be  for- 
gotten bow  great  a  safeguard  against  manifold 
t(!riii)tations  habits  of  dail3'  industry  have 
alwaj's  been  found.  See  further  notes  on  2 
Th(rss.  8  :  10. 

12.  That  ye  may  walk  honestly  toward 
them  that  are  withont.  'Honestly'  (ren- 
dered "  decently  "  in  1  Cor.  14  :  40),  in  a  be- 
coming,  honorable  manner;  the  oi)posite  of 


"  disorderly  "  in  2  Thess.  3:6.  '  Them  that  are 
without,'  including  all  unbelievers,  whether 
Jew  or  Gentile.  The  honor  of  Christ  and  his 
cause  was  at  stake  in  this  matter.  Compare 
Col.  4:5,  "  Walk  in  wisdom  toward  them 
that  are  without."  In  Eph.  4  :  28,  another 
motive  for  one  to  work  with  his  hands  is  men- 
tioned— namely,  "that  he  may  have  whereof 
to  give  to  him  that  hath  need."  And  that 
ye  may  have  lack  of  nothing — that  your 
proper  wants  may  be  supplied.  In  this  need 
are,  of  course,  included  the  wants  of  those 
who  are  providentially  dependent  upon  us, 
"  But  if  any  provideth  not  for  his  own,  aitd 
specially  his  own  household,  he  hath  denied 
the  faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  unbeliever." 
(1  Tim.  5 : 8.)  We  have  in  the  present  passage  a 
correlate  to  the  precepts  of  the  sermon  on  the 
mount,  "Be  not  anxious  for  your  life,  what 
ye  shall  eat  or  what  j-e  shall  drink.''  See 
Matt.  6  :  25,  and  others.  The  Christian  is  not 
to  dissociate  faith  and  forethought. 

The  exhortations  of  the  eleventh  verse  are 
in  close  accordance  with  the  Saviour's  teach- 
ing concerning  the  spirit  in  which  his  disciples, 
after  his  departure,  were  to  await  his  second 
coming.  He  warned  them  against  undue 
alarm  and  excitement;  there  would  be  need 
of  jtatient  endurance.  The  parable  of  the  Ten 
Minae,  or  Pounds  (Lukew),  was  spoken  in  cir- 
cumstances analogous  to  those  which  occa- 
sioned these  two  epistles—"  because  they  .sup- 
posed," says  Luke,  "that  the  kingdom  of 
God  was  immediately  to  appear."  In  that, 
as  in  the  parable  of  the  Talents,  he  warns 
against  indolence  and  negl-^ct  of  one's  out- 
ward vocation  and  work.  He  enjoins  activitj-, 
productive  labor.  The  viinnc  were  delivered 
to  the  servants  with  the  command  to  "oc- 
cupy" them — that  is  (see  Revised  Version), 
employ  them  in  trade  or  bu.siness  "till  I 
come." 

4  :  13-5  :  11.  The  Pnrousin,  or  Christ' s  Sec- 
ond Coming. ~T\iO  particulars  of  the  subject 
are  treated  of  in  this  section.  The  first  con- 
cerns the  resurrection  of  deceased  believers. 
The  Thessalonians  were  anxious  tm  behalf  of 
their  brethren  who  were  passing  away,  lest 
their  death  should  deprive  them  of  participa- 
tion ii»  the  glorious  events  of  the  Second  Ad- 


Ch.  IV.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


53 


vent — le^t  they  should  thereby  be  prevented 
from  beholdinj^  the  iiiaugiinil  glories  of  the 
Messianic  kingdom.  Thequestion  thus  arose: 
When  in  the  new  order  of  things  will  their 
resurrection  occur?  To  this  the  apostle  makes 
specific  reply,  communicating  facts  made 
known  to  him  by  special  revelation.  The  next 
question  concerned  the  time  of  the  advent: 
When  shall  the  Parousia  take  place?  In  re- 
ply to  tills,  tile  apostle  merely  repeats  the 
teaching  of  Ciirist,  and  enfoi'ces  it  with  appro- 
priate exhortations.  In  the  Second  Epistle  he 
adds  furtlier  instruction  upon  this  point,  and 
communicates  facts  not  found  elsewhere  in  the 
Scriptures. 

The  section  is  one  of  importance  in  its  es- 
chatologicul  bearings,  and  requires  for  its 
thorough  elucidation  the  closest  grammatical 
analysis  of  the  original,  as  well  as  an  extended 
comparison  witli  parallel  Scriptures.  It  is  dis- 
tinctly prophetic  and  predictive;  as  has  been 
pointed  out  in  the  Introduction,  Paul's  thought 
in  these  epistles,  more  than  in  any  other, 
dwells  upon  the  future  of  the  church  and  the 
world.  The  principal  eschatological  passages 
in  the  other  epistles  are  tiie  following:  Rom. 
2:  5-16;  8:  1-39;  1  Cor.  13:  9-12;  ch.  15;  2 
Cor.  5  :  1-10;  Col.  3  :  3,  4.  Before  proceeding 
to  the  detailed  exposition  of  this  section,  it 
may  be  well  to  state  several  general  principles 
and  assumptions  on  which  the  exposition  is 
based : 

(1)  Scripture  prophecy,  in  so  far  as  it  pre- 
dicts the  future  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  in  or- 
ganically one.  It  constitutes  a  progressive, 
germinant  unfolding  of  the  divine  plan  of 
salvation.  Its  predictions  have  been  revealed 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  prophets,  from  first  to 
liist,  under  substantially  the  same  conditions; 
the  revelation  has  been  through  the  medium 
of  vision  and  dream,  or  by  direct  word  com- 
munication. Scripture  prophecy  is  therefore 
subject  throughout  to  the  same  general  laws  of 
interpretation. 

(2)  The  lanfjiiafje  of  prophecy  is  of  necesnity 
symbolic.  Typical  events,  such  as  the  deliver- 
ance out  of  Egypt,  contributed  largely  to  the 
symbolic  diction  of  the  prophets.  Familiar 
<iutward  objects  and  events  became  represen- 
tations of  s)>i ritual  ideas,  and  of  events  tran- 
scending human  experience.  Thus  "the 
trumpet  of  God"  denoted  some  signjil,  divine, 
audible  cull  or   warning.     As   remarked   by 


Wem^ss  ("  Clavis  Symbolica,"  Preface),  "the 
symbolic  language  of  the  prophets  is  almost  a 
science  in  itself."  Tiie  interpretation  of  par- 
ticular prophecies  must  therefore  recognize 
and  lake  careful  account  of  the  poetic  and 
symbolic  imagery  common  to  all  prophec\'. 

(3)  New  Testament  prophecy  also  ha^  an  or- 
ganic unity  of  its  own.  Its  main  theme  is  the 
destinies  of  the  people  and  kingdom  of  Christ 
subsequent  to  the  incarnation.  Its  ground- 
work is  laid  in  our  Lord's  teachings,  especially 
the  great  prophetic  discourse  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives.  (Matt.  24,  a.)  That  discourse,  though 
itself  needing  the  key  afforded  by  apostolic 
exposition  and  by  later  revelations  to  the  New 
Testament  prophets,  constitutes  the  proper 
point  of  departure,  as  well  as  the  most  certain 
basis,  for  the  interpretation  of  the  epistles  and 
the  Apocalypse. 

(4)  Prophetic  prediction  is  not  designed  to 
enable  the  reader  to  anticipate  the  external 
and  secular  phases  of  history.  Its  geography 
cannot  be  traced  in  advance  upon  the  map; 
its  chronology  cannot  be  adjusted  in  advance 
to  the  standards  of  human  measurement. 
Near  and/ar  are  relative  and  ethical  terms  iu 
prophecy.  It  is  addressed  not  so  much  to  the 
rational  understanding  as  to  the  ear  of  hope 
and  faith.  We  are  not  considering  here  its 
value  as  evidence  after  fulfillment.  Previous 
to  fulfillment,  its  mission  is  for  the  warning 
and  encouragement  of  believers,  especially  in 
the  more  trying  periods  of  the  church's  his- 
tory; it  is  then  indeed  "a  lamp  shining  in  a 
dark  place." 

(5)  We  are  to  distinguish  between  the  posi- 
tive teaching  of  the  apostles  ami  their  personal 
hopes  and  impressions.  From  them,  as  from 
the  Old  Testament  prophets  who  predicted  the 
first  advent,  it  was  hidden  "what  titne  or  what 
manner  of  time  the  Spirit  of  Christ  which 
was  in  them  did  point  unto."  (i  Peter  i :  n.  Riv. 
ver.)  How  carefully,  and  with  what  providen- 
tial skill,  they  were  restrained  from  erroneous 
teaching  is  strikingly  illustrated  in  ver.  15  of 
the  present  chapter.  Their  language  could 
not  but  be  colored  by  their  human  expecta- 
tions, but  the  auctor  primariv s  of  their  writ- 
ings preadjusted  their  language  to  broader 
truths  and  a  larger  future  than  they  them- 
selves knew. 

The  postulates  briefly  laid  down  in  the  fore- 
going paragraphs  are  assumed  once  for  all  as 


54 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


13  But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant,  l>reth- 
ren,  coucerniug  theui  which  are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow 
not,  even  an  others  which  have  no  hope. 

14  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again, 
even  so  them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring 
with  him. 


33  But  we  would  not  have  you  ignorant,  brethren, 
concerning  them  that  fall   asleep;   that   ye   sorrow 

14  not,  even  as  the  rest,  who  have  no  hoi)e.  For  if  we 
believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  even  so  them 
also  that  are  fallen  asleep  '  in  Jesus  will  God  bring 


1  Gr.  through.    Or,  will  God  through  Jesua. 


tlie  basis  of  tlie  present  exposition.  It  would 
be  aside  from  the  purpose  of  the  commentary 
to  illustrate  them  at  length,  or  to  vindicate 
them.  One  other  consideration  is  also  to  be 
emphasized ;  natnelj',  that  the  section  coiitains 
only  frngmentary  instructions  on  the  subject 
in  hand;  it  is  but  supplementary  to  a  much 
fuller  body  of  oral  instruction  v)hich  fie  had 
given  them  months  before.  This  appears  from 
2  Thess.  2  :  5  and  1  Thess.  5  :  1.  Paul  simply 
deals  in  the  briefest  terms  with  the  two  points 
noticed  above:  (1)  the  resurrection  of  deceased 
believers  prior  to  the  Lord's  descent  upon  the 
earth,  and  (2)  the  time  when  he  should  thus 
come.  The  information  given  claims  to  be  a 
revelation  from  the  Lt)rd ;  when  received,  does 
not  appear  from  the  letter,  but  probably  long 
before. 

13-18.  The  Christian  dead — are  they  to  miss 
the  glories  of  the  Lord s  coming  ? 

13.  But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ig- 
norant. So  Paul  frequently  introduces  an 
important  topic  or  earnest  statement;  some- 
times it  is,  "I  would  have  you  know";  see 
Rom.  1  :  13 ;  Phil.  1  :  12.  Here  it  brings  for- 
ward with  emphasis  a  subject  of  immediate 
interest  to  his  correspondents — of  importance 
to  all:  the  prospect  of  the  Christian  dead. 
The  words  "that  ye  sorrow  not"  show  that 
the  Thessalonians  were  distressed  on  this  mat- 
ter. "The  Thessalonians  perhaps  had  asked  a 
question,  or  Timothy  may  have  given  infor- 
mation respecting  their  uneasiness  about  some 
of  their  number  who  had  died."  (Riggen- 
bach.)  Concerning  them  which  are  (or, 
that  fall)  asleep — present  tense,  denoting 
what  is  now  or  from  time  to  time  taking  place; 
those  who  are  from  time  to  time  dying.  The 
immediate  reference  was  evidently  to  mem- 
bers of  the  Thessalonian  Church,  but  the  truth 
enunciated  to  meet  this  case  was  such  as  ap- 
plied to  all  deceased  believers.  Ellicott  calls 
attention  to  the  fact  that  to  fall  asleep  is  a  fre- 
quent Scriptural  term  for  die,  but  not  peculiar 
to  Scripture.  That  ye  sorrow  not.  Let  the 
message  from  the  Lord  which  I  sent  you  banish 
your  sorrow;  not  the  natural  sorrow  over  the 


loss  of  loved  ones,  but  the  sorrow  that  is  dis- 
tressed about  their  future.  Such  sorrow  be- 
longs not  to  you,  but  to  others  (the  rest)  which 
have  no  hope.  A  broad  characteristic  of  all 
who  are  not  Christ's;  they  have  no  hope,  no 
positive,  definite  hope  embracing  the  future 
life.  Especially  true  of  the  Gentiles ;  see  Eph. 
2  :  12:  "having  no  hope,  and  without  God  in 
the  world."  "The  true  hopelessness  of  the  old 
heathen  world,"  says  Ellicott,  "finds  its  sad- 
dest expression  in  the  Eumenides  of  ^schy- 
lus"  : 

"  Once  dead  there  is  no  resurrection." 

14.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died 
and  rose  again.  This  clause  states  the  pre- 
mise on  which  the  following  conclusion  and 
assurance  is  based — the  great  major  premise 
of  faith.  One  is  as  sure  as  the  other;  "as 
Christ  the  head  died  and  rose  agtdn,  even  so 
shall  all  the  members  of  his  body."  In  the 
words  of  Gambold's  hymn,  which  Rowland 
Hill  Used  often  to  quote : 

"  We  two  are  so  joined, 
He'll  not  live  in  glory,  and  leave  me  behind." 

See  2  Cor.  4  :  14.  "Knowing  that  he  which 
raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  raise  up  us  also 
with  Jesus."  (i  Cor. i5:20.)  "But  now  hath 
Christ  been  raised  from  the  dead,  the  first 
fruits  of  them  that  are  asleep."  Even  so  cer- 
tain is  it  that  them  also  Avhich  sleep  in 
Jesus,  or,  that  are  fallen  asleep.  The  words 
'them  that  are  fallen  asleep'  are  in  Greek  an 
aorist  participle  with  the  prefixed  article;  so 
also  the  same  expression  at  the  end  of  A-er. 
15.  Being  joined  to  a  future  verb,  it  would  be, 
if  rendered  with  strict  grammatical  accuracy  : 
"them  that  shall  have  fallen  asleep  ";  that  is, 
previous  to  the  time  implied  in  the  predicate, 
when  God  "shall  bring"  Jesus  and  his  saints 
to  glory.  The  proper  understanding  of  this 
participle  will  aid  in  dispelling  the  confusion 
and  misconception  that  has  gathered  about 
the  apostle's  words  in  ver.  15. 

"It  is  noticeable,"  says  Ellicott,  "that  the 
apostle  here,  as  always,  uses  the  direct  term 
(iireflavcv)  [died]  in  reference  to  our  Lord,  to 


Ch.  IV.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


55 


15  For  this  we  say  unto  you  liy  the  word  of  the  Lord,  [  15  with  him.     For  this  we  say  unto  you  by  the  word 
tliiit  we  wliich  are  alive,  «/«/  reniuiii  unto  llie  eoiuiug  of  the   l^ord,  that  wu  who  are   alive,  who   are   left 

of  the  Lord  shall  not  prevent  them  which  are  asleep.       |        unto  the  '  coming  of  I  he  Lord,  shall  lu  no  wise  pre- 


I  Gr.  pretence. 


obviate  all  possible  misconception;  in  refer- 
ence to  tlie  faithful  he  appropriately  uses  the 
consolatory  term  (KoiiiiaOai.) "  [faU  adleep]. 
'  In  Jesus' — literally,  through  Jesus.  The 
phraseology  here,  it  will  be  seen,  is  not  pre- 
cisely the  same  as  in  1  Cor.  15  :  18;  "they 
also  which  are  fallen  asleej)  m  Ch7-ist";  "in 
Christ"  in  this  latter  passage,  as  also  in  ver. 
Itj  below,  "tile  dead  in  Christ,"  has  the  prepo- 
sition 'in'  ((")  ;  here  it  is  "through"  (5"i). 
But  what  is  it  to  have  'fallen  asleep  through 
Jesus'?  They  have  died  trusting  in  Jesus — 
in  the  faith  of  Jesus ;  "sustained  and  soothed 
by  an  unfaltering  tru.st"  in  him,  they  have 
lain  down  to  the  sleep  of  death.  This  is  the 
sense  suggested  bj'  Chrysostom  and  Theophy- 
lact  among  the  Greek  Fathers;  it  is  preferred 
by  Kiggenbach,  and  by  Webster  and  Wilkin- 
son in  their  Greek  Testament.  It  must  be 
admitted  that  there  is  no  precisely  analogous 
case  of  the  preposition  being  used  in  this  large 
meaning — a  meaning  nearly  equivalent  to  the 
Greek  for  'in'  {iv),  and  therefore  Ellicott  and 
many  others  interpret:  "those  who,  through 
his  mediation,  are  now  rightly  accounted  as 
sleeping."  Still  others,  and  perhaps  the  ma- 
jority, reject  the  above  construction  and  read 
witii  the  Kevisers'  margin  :  "  will  God  through 
Jesus  bring  with  him,"  thus  attaching  the 
phrase  to  the  principal  verb  of  the  sentence. 
But  the  order  of  the  words  in  the  original 
seems  rather  to  favor  the  former  construction  ; 
moreover,  the  context  requires  some  such  qual- 
ifyingphrase,  either  in  thought  or  expressed,  to 
the  words  '  them  that  are  fallen  asleep.'  Com- 
pare ver.  Ifi  below  and  the  passage  from  1  Cor- 
inthians previously  cited.  With  our  present 
knowl"dge  of  Greek  usage  a  clear  decision  can 
liardly  be  reached,  but  in  my  judgment  the 
construction  and  interpretation  first  given  are 
to  be  preferred.  Will  God  brin^  with  him — 
'bring,'  literally  lead,  will  not  only  raise  them 
from  the  dead,  but  add  them  to  the  triumphal 
procession  of  the  advancing  King.  The  same 
word  is  appropriately  used  in  Heb.  2:  10: 
"For  it  became  him  ...  in  bringing  many 
sons  unto  glory,  to  make  the  author  \copfnin] 
of  their  salvation  perfect  through  suflerings." 


15.  By  (literally  in)  the  word  of  the 
Lord — the  precise  phrase  employed  in  the 
Septuagint  (i  King»20;3o)  to  denote  a  prophetic 
communication.  The  following  statements 
(contained  in  15-18)  are  manifestly  presented 
as  authorized  by,  and  proceeding  directly 
from,  our  Lord.  But  was  it  si  communication 
made  to  his  disciples  previous  to  the  ascension, 
or  to  Paul  himself  subsequently?  If  the  for- 
mer, it  must  be  from  some  unrecorded  dis- 
course, since  no  passage  in  the  gospels  fur- 
nishes the  facts  here  stated.  One  of  Jesus' 
sayings  is  preserved  in  the  New  Testament 
outside  of  the  gospel  history — in  Acts  20  :  35; 
others  that  rest  only  on  the  authority  of  later 
tradition  are  given  in  Appendix  C  to  West- 
cott's  "Introduction  to  the  Studj'  of  the  Gos- 
pels." To  some  such  discourse  of  Christ,  of 
which  no  record  has  been  made  by  the  gospel 
writer-s,  Calvin  supposes  the  apostle  to  refer. 
But  the  present  passage  contains  a  definite, 
positive  prediction  concerning  future  events, 
adapted  to  meet  an  inquir\'  peculiar  to  this 
church  and  this  juncture;  in  the  absence  of 
any  intimation  that  our  Lord  had  communi- 
cated special  teaching  on  this  point,  we  are 
certainly  warranted  in  understanding  it  to 
have  been  an  express  revelation  made  to  Paul 
himself,  or  to  his  companions;  Silas,  it  will  be 
remembered,  was  a  prophet.  (Act8i5:32.)  That 
Paul  did  from  the  beginning  of  his  ministry' 
receive  special  communications  from  Christ, 
one  can  scarcely  doubt  who  accepts  the  his- 
torical trustworthiness  of  the  book  of  Acts 
(see  Acts  9  :  5,  seq.  ;  22  :  17-21)  or  of  the  epis- 
tles (see  Gal.  1  :  12;  2:2;  also  1  Cor.  11  :  23). 
'  In  the  word  of  the  Lord'  is  thus  understood 
by  Chrj'sostom,  De  Wette,  Kiggenbach,  Liine- 
mann,  Alford,  Ellicott,  and  others. 

The  diflRculty  wliich  the  apostle  now  pro- 
ceeds to  remove  from  the  minds  of  his  readers 
was  not  a  doubt  concerning  the  certainty  or 
reality  of  the  resurrection,  or  concerning  the 
blissful  future  of  those  believers  who  should  be 
dead  before  the  Lord's  coming,  but  concern- 
ing their  participation  in  the  glories  of  that 
coming.  "The  idea  that  perplexed  and  dis- 
tressed the  Thessalonians  seems  to  have  been 


56 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  IV. 


Hi  For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  fioiu  heaven 
with  a  shuui,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with 


IG  cede  them   that  are  fallen   asleep.     For   the  Lord 
himself  sliall   descend  Irom   heaven,  with   a  shout, 


something  of  this  soil;  that  wiien  the  Lord 
came,  tlieir  deceased  friends  would  be  found 
to  have  suffered  serious  loss,  in  that,  while 
thej'  would  ultimately,  no  doubt,  be  raised 
again,  they  would  yet  have  no  part  in  the  joy 
of  welcoming  him  back  to  his  inheritance  of 
the  redeemed  earth,  and  in  the  triumphant 
inauguration  of  his  reign.  The  songs  of  the 
living  saints  would  mingle  with  the  acclama- 
tions of  angels,  as,  clad  in  'the  visible  robes 
of  his  imperial  majesty,'  the  Saviour-King 
took  his  seat  on  his  blood-bought  throne.  But 
what  if  in  the  rapture  of  that  hour,  and  for 
ages  after,  the  lowly  tenants  of  the  tombs 
should  be  forgotten  alike  by  all,  and  no  beam 
from  the  crown  of  Jesus — no  thrill  of  ecstacy 
of  the  new  creation  should  reach  death's  dark 
domain?  Would  not  this  be  for  the  time,  and 
so  long  as  it  lasted,  all  one  as  if  'they  also 
which  had  fallen  asleep  in  Christ  were  per- 
ished' ?  Certainly  by  a  church  so  full  of  the 
bright  prospect  of  Christ's  coming  kingdom, 
as  was  this  of  Thessalonica,  it  could  not  be 
regarded  as  anj'  common  calamity.  It  was 
just  as  if,  on  the  very  eve  of  the  day  of  the 
expected  return  of  some  long-absent  father,  a 
cruel  fate  should  single  out  one  fond,  expect- 
ant child,  and  hurry  him  to  a  far  distant  and 
inhospitable  shore."     (Lillie,  pp.  247,  248.) 

We  \«hich  are  alive,  and  remain  (or, 
are  left)  unto  the  coining  of  the  Lord. 
To  reproduce  the  original  more  nearly:  '^We, 
the  living^  the  survivors  at  tJie  coming  of  the 
Lord.'  The  first  inquiry  is,  who  are  included 
in  the  apostle's  'we'?  Plainly,  all  other  be- 
lievers than  the  class  named  at  the  end  of  the 
verse;  namely,  those  who  have  already  or 
shall  have  fallen  asleep  before  the  Advent. 
This  is  clear  from  the  context;  compare  the 
note  on  the  phrase  as  it  first  occurs  in  ver.  14. 
But  any  possible  misunderstanding  of  the 
apostle's  language  is  obviated  by  the  limit- 
ing phrases  apjiendod  to  the  'we.'  In  the 
Greek  the^^  are  present  participles  having  the 

force  of  relative  clauses  (oi  i^vrc;,  oi  ireptAeirrdfievoi 

tit  thv  Ttapovaiav),  and,  according  to  well-known 
Greek  usage,  refer  to  future  time,  as  does  the 
predicate  to  which  they  are  jf)ined;  the  sense 
of  the  original,  therefore,  is:  '■we  who  shall  he 
fiihe — who  shall  be  left  unto  the  coming  of  the 
Lord.'     Thus  the  scope  of  the  'wo'  (so  far  as 


the  apostle's  thought  is  concerned)  is  precisely 
determined.  It  includes  '  the  living,'  but  lest 
this  phrase  should  occasion  misunderstanding, 
a  restrictive  qualification  is  immediately  added: 
those  'who  shall  be  left,'  etc.  But  the  ques- 
tion arises,  Does  not  Paul  necessarily  include 
himself  (as  well  as  some  of  his  readers)  in  this 
first  personal  pronoun?  Yes,  if  he  or  tliey 
prove  to  be  of  the  number  expressly  named 
'who  shall  be  left'  at  the  Lord's  Com- 
ing. A  careful  analysis  of  the  original  will 
show  the  error  of  those  who  assert  with  Jowett 
that  the  apostle  "says  that  men  living  in  his 
own  day  will  be  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord 
in  the  air";  or  with  Liinemann,  that  "Paul 
here  includes  iiimself  along  with  tne  Thessalo- 
nians  among  those  who  will  be  alive  at  the 
advent  of  Christ."  '  The  coming  of  the  Lord' 
means  here,  as  elsewhere  in  these  two  epistles, 
his  Second  Coming;  namely,  (in  its  highest 
and  final  sense)  his  visible  return  from  heaven 
to  raise  the  dead,  hold  the  last  judgment,  and 
to  establish  in  its  eternal  glory  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

Shall  not  prevent  {jjrecede)  them  which 
are  asleep—shall  not  be  before  them  in  meet- 
ing the  coming  King;  he  explains  more  defi- 
nitely in  the  next  two  verses.  "Precede"  in 
the  Revision  properly  translates  the  archaic 
"prevent"  of  the  Common  Version,  the  latter 
having  the  same  meaning  in  Jeremy  Taylor, 
for  example:  "Your  messenger  prevented 
mine  but  an  hour." 

IG.  For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend 
from  heaven.  'Himself — that  is,  in  his 
own  person.  "This  Jesus,"  said  the  angels  to 
the  disciples  on  the  Mount  of  Ascension, 
"shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  beheld 
him  going  into  heaven."  Or,  the  emphatic 
pronoun  may  be  designed  to  turn  our  thoughts 
to  Christ  as  the  central  figure  of  the  scene. 
Shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout. 
His  approach  will  thus  be  signaled  with  'a 
shout,'  a  loud  word  of  command.  No  silent 
unobserved  coming,  but  heard  far  before.  In 
Luke  17:20,  "the  kingdom  of  God  cometh 
not  with  observation,"  the  reference  is  not  as 
here  to  the  "great  day."  The  signal  shoni 
will  not  necessarily  be  the  voice  of  the  Lt)rd 
himself,  as  the  English  rendering  might  seem 
to  imply  (literally,  "in  a  shout,"  or  "  in  shout- 


Ch.  IV.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


57 


the  trump  of  God :  and  the  dead  iu  Christ  shall  rise 
first : 


wiih  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump 


ing"),  but  will  be  one  of  the  attendant  oir- 
curnstances  of  his  coming.  The  term  properly 
denotes  a  word  of  command,  as  lo  a  ship's 
crew,  for  example,  or  a  band  of  soldiers.  In 
the  following  words  we  have  not  additional 
circumstances  (the  omission  of  a  conjunction 
shows  the  next  two  phrases  to  be  not  co-ordi- 
nate with  the  first,  but  rather  in  apposition 
with  it),  but  a  description  of  this  signal  shout. 
It  shall  be  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel^ 
and  with  the  trump  of  God — or,  better,  ad- 
hering more  nearly  to  the  original,  ^'with 
voice  of  archangel  and  with  trumpet  of  God." 
Who  this  archangel  is — whether,  indeed,  in  the 
heavenly  host  there  is  more  than  one  so  styled 
— belongs  to  the  unrevealed  lore  of  heaven  ;  in 
Jude  9  we  are  told  of  ''Michael  the  arch- 
angel," and  some  suppose  Michael  to  be  des- 
ignated here ;  Olshuusen  considers  the  arch- 
angel to  be  Christ  himself.  The  'trumpet  of 
God'  "is  the  trumpet  belonging  to  God,  or 
"used  in  his  service."  Such  .a  trumpet  was 
heard  from  the  heights  of  Sinai.  Exod.  19  : 
16:  "And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  third  day  in 
the  morning  that  there  were  thunders  and 
lightnings  and  a  thick  cloud  upon  the  mount, 
and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  exceeding  loud  "  ; 
ver.  19:  "And  when  the  voice  of  the  trumpet 
sounded  long,  and  waxed  louder  and  louder, 
Moses  spake,  and  God  answered  him  by  a 
voice."  In  1  Cor.  15  :  51,  52,  Paul  reaffirms 
the  present  statement:  "We  shall  not  all 
sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  mo- 
ment, in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last 
trump;  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the 
dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we 
shall  be  chfinged." 

This  signal  shout  will  not  only  announce  to 
the  living  their  Lord's  approach,  but  will  be  a 
resurrection  call;  it  will  summon  the  dead 
from  their  tombs.  See  John  5  :  28,  29.  So  the 
third  stanza  of  the  Dies  Tree: 

"  The  last  loud  trumpet's  wondrous  sound 
Shall  through  the  rending  tombs  rebound, 
And  wake  the  nations  umierground." 

— Roscommon's  Translation. 

The  actual,  audible  phenomena  here  pre- 
dicted in, the  terms  "shout,"  "trumpet."  a 
discreet  exegesis  will  not  attempt  to  define. 
"The  sound  of  a  trumpet,"  says   Fairbairn, 


"is  employed  in  the  Scriptures  as  a  s3'mbol  of 
the  majestic,  omnipotent  voice  or  word  of 
God"  ("Typology,"  II.,  p.  452);  see  Isa.  27  : 
13.  Olshuusen  needlessly  restricts  it:  "The 
term  is  chosen  to  designate  the  mighty  ivfiu- 
ence  which  will  penetrate  the  universe,  and 
which  will  be  connected  with  Christ's  appear- 
ance," etc.  Tiie  language  is  undoubtedly 
symbolic;  Paul  is  not  giving  details  in  the 
literal  style  of  a  chronicler;  yet  by  a  single 
stroke  he  lifts  the  whole  transaction  out  of  and 
above  the  plane  of  human  events  and  natural 
causes,  at  the  same  time  assisting  the  imagi- 
nation, and  elevating  our  conceptions  of  the 
transcendently  sublime  event.  The  signal 
shout  to  announce  the  coming  King  of  the 
Redeemed  is  from  no  human  voice,  no  earthly 
trumpet;  an  archangel's  voice  shall  sound  it, 
a  "trumpet  of  God"  shall  blazon  it  abroad. 
As  it  is  declared  elsewhere  that  "every  eye 
shall  see  him"  (Rev.i-.i),  so  likewise  every  ear 
shall  hear  him  ;  there  shall  be  an  audible  call, 
that  shall  be  heard  by  the  living  and  shall 
awaken  the  dead.  Compare  Jolin  5:  !28,  '29: 
"Marvel  not  at  this:  for  the  hour  cometh  in 
which  all  that  are  in  the  tombs  shall  hear  his 
voice,  and  shall  come  forth;  they  that  have 
done  good  unto  the  resurrection  of  life,  and 
they  that  have  done  evil  unto  the  resurrection 
of  judgment." 

The  dead  in  Christ — same  as  'Hhose  who 
have  fallen  asleep  through  Jesus,"  in  ver.  14. 
The  dead  in  Christ  are  those  who  when  alive 
were  in  Christ.  These  shall  rise  first — that 
is,  previously  to  the  ascension  into  the  air  of 
the  living  saints.  'First'  and  'then'  (in  the 
next  verse)  belong  together  8s  first  in  order, 
and  next  in  order.  There  is  apparently  no 
reference,  to  a  first  as  distinguished  from  a 
second  resurrection — a  distinction  which  is 
entirely  foreign  to  the  apostles  present  pur- 
pose, and  to  which  as  little  regard  is  paid  in 
the  passage  cited  above  from  1  Cor.  15.  The 
latter  is  properlj'  a  parallel  passage  to  the  one 
before  us,  only  that  in  this  he  is  concerned  not 
so  much  to  assert  the  resurrection  hope  of  the 
believer,  as  to  assure  him  that  in  case  of  death 
before  the  Advent  he  will  not  fail  to  partici- 
pate in  its  inaugural  triumph.  The  passage  in 
Rev.  '20  :  1-10  is  not,  in  my  judgment,  a  proper 
parallel  to  this. 


58 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Cii.  V. 


17  Then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be 
caught  up  tugether  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air :  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the 
Lord. 

18  Wherefore  comfort  one  another  with  these  words. 


17  of  God :  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first:  then 
we  who  are  aiive,  who  are  left,  shall  together  with 
theiu  be  caught  up  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the 
Lord  in    the    air:    and   so  shall   we   ever   be  with 

18  the  Lord.  Wherefore  i comfort  one  another  with 
ihese  words. 


CHAPTER  V. 


B 


UT  of  the  times  and  the  seasons,  brethren,  ye  have 
no  need  that  I  write  unto  you.  I 


1      But  concerning  the  times  and  the  seasons,  breth- 
ren, ye  liave  no  need  that  augut  be  written  unto  you. 


1  Or,  exhort.  ■ 


17.  Then— that  is,  next  afterward.  Whether 
immediately  after  is  not  said;  it  is,  however, 
the  second  scene  in  the  drama  here  described. 
Shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in 
the  clouds.  'Together  with  them'  is  the 
important  point;  the  risen  dead  and  the  living 
shall  meet  and  join  company.  'Caught  up'  ; 
compare  2  Cor.  12  :  2.  "I  knew  a  man  in  Christ 
fourteen  years  ago  .  .  .  caught  up  to  the 
third  heaven."  '  In  clouds'  (the  Greek  omits 
the  article);  so  wrajjt  in  clouds,  Christ  as- 
cended. (Acts 1: 9.)  To  meet  the  Lord  in 
the  air — that  is,  rising  into  the  air  io  meet  the 
Lord.  Most  commentators  explain  the  words 
'in  the  air'  or  'into  the  siir'  as  belonging 
properly  to  'caught  up.'  But  Greek  usage 
will  equally  allow  the  phrase  where  our 
translators  (also  the  Revisers)  have  placed 
it,  after  the  verbal  noun  rendered  'to  meet.' 
The  saints  then  living,  with  glorified  bodies 
("changed,"  1  Cor.  15  :  52),  shall  be  gathered 
together  by  the  angels  (Mau.  24:3i);  with  them 
shall  also  be  the  risen  saints;  all  together 
shall  ascend  from  the  earth's  surface  to  join 
the  celestial  ho.st — our  Lord  accompanied  by 
his  angels.  Here  Paul's  apocalypse  to  the 
Thessalonians  (so  far  as  concerns  the  events 
of  the  Parousia)  breaks  off,  adding  only  the 
glorious  assurance,  and  so — that  is,  these 
tilings  being  so — shall  we  ever  be  with 
the  Lord.  John  14  :  3 :  "And  if  I  go  and 
prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  Will  come  again 
and  receive  you  unto  myself;  that  where 
I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also."  See  also  John 
17  :  24.  Forever  with  the  Lord— the  Chris- 
tian's immortality — the  eternal  life  of  his  hope 
and  his  inheritance. 

"  The  Life  that  hath  no  ending, 
But  la.steth  evermore." 

— "  The  Celestial  Country." 

18.  Wherefore  comfort  one  another 
with  these  words.  As  you  stand  by  the  bed 
of  death,  and  for  the  last  time  on  earth  look 
into  a  dear  face;  as  you  clasp  hands  for  the 


last  farewell,  let  these  assurances  comfort  your 
hearts;  speak  them  to  one  another.  And 
when  you  stand  over  the  graves  of  your  dead, 
do  not  sorrow  as  those  who  have  no  hope,  but 
encourage  each  other  with  what  I  have  writ- 
ten. When  the  Lord  comes  we  shall  meet 
one  another  again,  and  we  shall  meet  him, 
and  we  shall  be  with  him  in  glory  forever. 

Of  other  facts  concerning  the  Second  Ad- 
vent, elsewiiere  revealed  in  the  Scriptures,  we 
have  here  no  word  :  the  transformation  of  the 
living,  the  resurrection  of  the  wicked,  the 
holding  of  the  last  judgment,  the  destroying 
of  the  Man  of  Sin,  and  the  punishment  of  the 
enemies  of  God,  the  purification  of  the  earth 
and  the  final  consummation  of  all  thing.<. 
Nor  are  we  told  concerning  the  state  of  the 
dead  immediately  after  death.  In  the  next 
epistle  some  additional  facts  are  given,  but 
Paul  here  and  elsewhere  states  only  enough  to 
meet  the  necessitie's  of  the  actual  experience 
of  his  readers  at  the  time. 


Ch.  5:  1-11.  The  apostle  now  anticipates 
another  question,  and  in  answering  it  turns 
quickly  and  with  graceful  courtesy  to  urge  the 
claims  and  duties  of  the  hour.  "When  shall 
these  things  be,"  do  you  ask?  This  question 
was  certain  to  be  asked — the  very  question  put 
by  the  disciples  to  Christ  as  he  sat  on  the  sun- 
set slope  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  after  he  had 
gone  out  from  the  temple  for  the  last  time  be- 
fore his  crucifixion.  The  same  inquiry  in  sub- 
stance recurs  after  the  resurrection :  Acts  1  : 
6  :  "  Wilt  thou  at  this  ti-tne  restore  again  the 
kingdom  to  Israel?"  Paul's  answer  here  is 
an  echo  of  our  Lord's  replies  on  the  occasions 
above  named,  and  of  his  teachings  elsewhere. 
First  glancing  at  the  fact  that  the  eras  and 
epochs  of  the  great  consummation  are  not  re- 
vealed, he  then  enforces  the  practical  precept 
si)ringing  from  the  fact:  namely.  Watch  and 
be  sober. 

1.  The  times  and  the  seasons — that  is,  of 


Ch.  v.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


69 


2  For  yourselves  know  perfectly  that  the  day  of  the 
Lord  so  Cometh  as  a  iliiel  in  the  iiighi. 

3  For  wlifU  they  shall  say  1  eace  aud  safety;  then 
sudden  desi ruction  coinelh  upon  theiu,  as  travail  upon 
a  woujau  with  child ;  aud  they  shall  not  escape. 


2  For  yourselves  know  j)erreetly  that  the  day  of  the 

3  Lord  so  coiueih  as  a  thief  in  tue  night.  \>  lien  tuey 
are  saying,  I'eace  and  saiely,  ilieii  sudden  liistruc- 
liou  coiueth  upon  them,  as  travail  upon  a  woman 


the  events  belonging  to  the  Parousui — the 
Lord's  Coming.  The  word  rendei-ed  'si-asons' 
ordinarily  denotes  a  definite  limited  period  of 
time.  Christ  uses  the  same  words  in  his  reply 
to  the  question  above  mentioned,  Acts  1:7: 
"It  is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times  or  the 
seasons  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own 
power" — that  is,  as  Vaughan  paraphrases: 
"It  is  not  for  you  to  know  the  time  that  will 
elapse  before  my  kingdom  will  be  established, 
nor  the  season  in  which  it  will  be  established." 
Ye  have  no  need.  Wiiy?  The  next  verse 
answers,  and  the  answer  should  still  suffice  for 
us.  Biblical  interpretation  transcends  its  func- 
tion when  it  sets  about  forecasting  the  calendar 
of  the  future.  More  than  that  which  you  al- 
ready know,  says  tiie  apostle,  you  do  not  need 
to  know.  The  Saviour's  admonition  and  the 
apostle's  hint  have  been  alike  lost  ujion  soine 
of  the  wisest  and  best  among  Ciiristians  and 
Biblical  scholars;  witness,  for  instance,  Ben- 
gel,  who  predicted  that  Christ's  millennial 
reign  would  begin  in  the  year  1830. 

2.  For  yourselves  know  perfectly.  Yon 
know  just  how  the  case  stands;  you  are 
already  perfectly  well  informed  as  to  this 
matter.  The  day  of  the  Lord — the  day 
when  the  Lord  Jesus  Clirist  shall  come  as 
above  described.  The  term  can  have  no  other 
meaning  in  the  present  connection;  see  2 
Tliess.  2  :  1,  2,  where  "the  coming  of  the 
Lord"  and  "the  day  of  the  Lord"  are  plainly 
interchangeable.  The  term  itself  belongs  to 
the  language  of  Old  Testament  prophecy,  and 
there  has  a  wider  signification.  See  Crelmer, 
"  Biblico-Tiieological  Le.\icon,"  pp.  275.276. 
In  the  New  Testament  it  refers  specifically  to 
Messianic  manifestations.  Cometh  as  a 
thief  in  the  night— '  cometh,'  .shall  come,  a 
prophetic  pre.sent,  the  future  sense  similar  to 
"send"  in  Mark  1:2.  'As  a  thief  is  a 
familiar  Old  Testament  comparison.  Chri.st 
says  (Matt,  u :  •(2, 43)  ;  "  Watch  therefore  :  for  ye 
know  not  on  what  day  your  Lord  cometh. 
But  know  this,  that  if  the  master  of  the  house 
had  known  in  what  watch  the  thief  was  com- 
ing, he  would  have  watched,  and  would  not 


have  suffered  his  house  to  be  broken  through." 
So  2  Peter  3  :  10:  "But  the  day  of  ihe  Lord 
will  come  as  a  thief"  The  point  of  comjjari- 
son  is  its  unexpectedness.  That  it  will  be  ter- 
rible also  is  suggested  alterward,  but  does  not 
lie  in  the  comparison  itself,  either  here  or  in 
Rev.  16  :  15:  "Behold  1  come  as  a  thief. 
Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth,"  etc.  Chrysos- 
tom  adds:  "On  this  account  he  so  cometh  as 
a  thief  in  the  night,  that  we  may  not  abandon 
ourselves  to  wickedness,  nor  to  slolii,  that  he 
may  not  take  from  us  our  reward."  Lillie: 
"You  will  notice  the  stealthiness  of  that  ap- 
proach. It  is  always  thus  spoken  of  in  Script- 
ure, as  a  surprise  Jind  sudden  catastrophe.  It 
is  compared  to  the  breaking  forth  of  the  del- 
uge; to  the  rain  of  lire  on  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah; to. the  unannounced  return  of  a  house- 
holder to  his  servants;  to  a  cry  at  midnight;  to 
the  falling  of  a  snare  on  an  unwary  bird;  to 
the  lightning's  flash.  But  the  image  most 
frequenfly  employed  is  the  one  before  us — the 
coming  of  a  thief  in  the  night,  unheralded, 
unlooked  for,  imthought  of,  at  the  time  when 
deep  sleep  falleth  on  men.'' 

3.  When  they  shall  say  (or,  are  saying) — 
when  the  language  of  men's  hearts  is:  "Wo  are 
secure  and  prosperous.  •  The  language,  not  of 
all,  but  of  the  careless  and  unbelieving;  so 
the  rest  of  the  verse  implies.  And  compare 
Matt.  24  :  38,  39.  Then  sudden  destruc- 
tion. The  original  is  more  vivid  and  em- 
phatic, something  like  this:  77*^/?.,  suddenly 
is  desi  ruction  upon  thryyi.  See  2  The>s.  1  :  9. 
As  travail  upon  a  Avoman  with  child— an 
image  of  sudden,  inevitable,  dreaded  anguish. 
Frequent  in  the  writings  of  Lsaiah  and  the 
other  Old  Testament  prophets  (ian»  is :«.«).  pre- 
dicting the  destruction  of  Babylon:  "Howl 
ye,  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  at  hand  ;  it  shall 
come  as  a  destruction  from  the  Almighty. 
.  .  .  And  they  shall  be  afraid;  pangs  and 
sf)rrows  shall  take  hold  of  them  ;  they  shall  be 
in  pain  as  a  woman  that  travaileth."  And 
they  shall  not  (or,  in  no  wise)  escape.  Com- 
pare 2  Thess.  1:6-9;  Heb.  2:3.  'i  How  shall 
we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?" 


60 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  V. 


4  But  yo,  brethren,  are  not  iu  darkness,  that  that  day 
should  overtake  you  as  a  thief. 

5  Ve  are  all  uie  children  of  light,  and  the  children 
of  the  day  :  we  are  nut  of  the  nighi,  uor  of  darkness. 

(i  riierefore  let  us  uol  sleep,  as  do  others ;  Out  let  us 
watch  aud  he  sober. 


4  with  child ;  and  they  shall  in  no  wise  escape.    But 
ye,  brethren,  are  not   iu   darkness,  that  that  day 

5  should  overtake  you  '  as  a  thief;  for  ye  are  all  sons 
of  lighi.aud  soiisof  the  day  :  we  are  not  of  the  niylit, 

6  nor  of  uarkuess;  so  then  let  us  not  sleep,  as  do  the 


1  Some  uucieuL  ;iuthoruie:i  read  as  thieves. 


4.  But  ye — distinguished  from  the  general 
subject  of  the  preceding  verse— are  not  in 
darkness, — that  is,  the  season  for  thieves  to 
come,— that  that  day  should  overtake  you 
as  a  thief.  W)U  are  not  iu  such  a  mural  con- 
dition (of  ignoran<:e,  unbelief,  and  hardness 
of  heart)  as  that  the  sudden  dawning  of  the 
great  day  should  lind  you  unprepared,  off 
your  guard.  Tlie  clause  introduced  by  'that' 
(Iva)  is  one  of  result,  denotingnot  an  «c<m«^,  but 
a  conceived  result  or  consequence.  Commenta- 
tors who  make  the  conjunction  mean  in  or-der 
that,  and  explain  the  design  as  referring  to 
God  CLunernann,  for  instance)  simply  do  vio- 
lence to  the  Greek  and  en  timber  the  simple 
sense  of  the  apostle's  words.  '  That  day,'  liter- 
ally 'tli.e  day'  the  day  of  the  Lord  just  sjioken 
of. 

5.  For  ye  are  all  the  children  (sons)  of 
light,  and  children  (sons)  of  the  day.  The 
mention  of  the  thief,  who  comes  dy  night,  sug- 
gests to  the  apostle,  as  suitable  for  the  follow- 
ing exhortations,  this  text;  namely,  the  sig- 
nificant fact:  "You  are  sons  of  light — day." 
Why  the  second  form  of  the  figure,  we  shall 
see  in  considering  its  practical  application. 
"Son  of,"  in  the  Hebrew  way  of  speaking, 
describes  one's  nature;  thus  "son  of  peace" 
(  Luke- 10: 6);  " son  of wisdom  " ;  "of destruction"; 
this  latter  pointing  to  one's  destiny.  Barnabas 
is  called  (Acts4:3fi)  "son  of  consolation "  (or 
exhor-fntion).  The  phrase  sets  forth  some 
typical  feature  of  the  person,  ordinarily  his 
character  or  actions.  'Light'  and  'day'  are 
employed  in  one  of  the  rich  ethical  senses  that 
belong  to  their  symbolical  use  in  Scripture, 
especially  in  the  writings  of  John.  The  con- 
ception in  the  present  passage  is  the  same  as 
in  2  Cor.  6:  14:  "For  what  fellowship  have 
righteousness  and  iniquity?  or  what  commu- 
nion hath  light  with  darkness?"  Eph.  5  :  8, 
Rev.  Ver. :  "Fur  ye  were  once  darlcnes«.  but 
are  now  light  in  the  Tiord  ;  walk  as  children 
of  liffht."  We  are  not  of  the  night,  nor  of 
darkness — the  precise  obverse  of  the  previous 
statement,  only  that  the  apostle  changes  from 
'you'  to  '  we,'  and  drops  the  Hebraism.    Just 


as  'light'  stands  for  God's  moral  character, 
particularly  as  exhibited  in  his  truth  and 
righteousness,  so  'darkness'  for  iniquity,  that 
moral  condition  whose  "unfruitful  works" 
Paul  denounces  farther  on  in  the  passage  just 
cited  from  Ephesians. 

6.  Therefore  let  us  not  sleep.  If  sons 
oi  light,,  all  our  time  is  rfray-time,  and  we  have 
no  business  to  be  sleeping,  as  do  others,  unbe- 
lievers, as  in  4  :  13,  above.  In  such  points  as 
this,  what  they  do,  ive  are  not  to  do.  Let  us 
watch  and  be  sober — the  chief  ethical  corol- 
lary— always  so  in  the  Scriptures — of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Parousia.  A  broad  maxim  of 
Christian  dut3%  summing  up  in  itself  the  tem- 
per and  attitude  appropriate  to  the  life  of 
faith.  The  maxim  rests  fundamentally  on  the 
facts  of  the  Parousia;  it  lias  in  view  the 
responsibilities  connected  with  the  Monarch's 
approach,  an  approach  at  any  time  possible ; 
"  "Watch  therefore,  for  you  know  not  on  what 
day  your  Lord  cometh."  (muu.  24  •  42;  similarly  iiait 
13:35.)  Other  considerations  also  enforce  it, 
such  as  the  danger  from  unseen  and  wily 
spiritual  foes,  the  tendencies  of  our  carnal 
nature,  the  constant  liability  to  death  ;  but 
the  one  consideration  made  most  prominent  in 
the  Scriptures  is  that  first  referred  to,  oui>, 
Lord's  desire  to  find  ready  at  his  coming  a 
prepared  people. 

The  precept  is  twofold  :  1.  '  Watch  '  (liter- 
ally, he  vjakcful)  is  the  figure  that  enjoins  un- 
remitting Christian  readiness.  We  are  to  be 
spiritually  open-eyed,  keeping  an  unslumber- 
ing  sense  for  things  divine.  Faith  will  sing: 
"I sleep,  butmj-  heart  waketh"  (soi. sougS:  2),  or 
with  a  modern  poet: 

"Great  King,  we  await  thee!     From  watch-towers  of 
prayer 
Expectant  we  gaze  through  the  sin-troubled  air." 

2.  'Be  sober,'  that  is,  "free  from  the  stupe- 
pefying  effects  of  self-indulgence  and  sin." 
So  our  Lord,  Luke  '21  :  34:  "But  take  heed  to 
yourselves,  lest  haply  your  hearts  be  over- 
charged with  surfeiting  and  drmikenness  and 
cares  of  this  life,  and  that  day  come  on  you 
suddenly,  as  a  snare."' 


Ch.  v.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


61 


V  For  they  tliat  sleep  sleep  in  the  night;  and  they 
that  he  drunken  are  drunken  in  the  night. 

S  But  let  us,  who  are  of  the  day,  he  soher,  putting  on 
the  hreaslplate  of  faith  and  love;  and  lor  a  heliuet,  the 
hope  of  salvation. 

9  For  (.iod  halh  not  appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to 
obtain  salvation  hy  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

10  Who  died  for  us,  that,  whether  we  wake  or  sleep, 
we  should  live  together  with  hiui. 


7  rest,  hut  let  us  watch  and  he  sober.  For  they  that 
sleep  sleep  in  the  nighl ;  and  they  that  are  drunken 

8  are  drunken  in  the  night.  Hut  let  us,  sinee  we  are 
of  the  day,  be  sober,  pulling  on  the  breastplate  of 
laith  and  love;  and  for  a  helmet,  the  hope  of  salva- 

9  lion.  For  (iod  appointed  us  not  unto  wrath,  hut 
unlo  the  obtaining  of  salvaiion   ihrough  our  Lord 

10  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  us,  that,  whether  we 
1  wake  or  sleep,  we  should  live  logolher  with  him. 


7.  For  they  that  sleep  sleep  in  the 
night,  and  they  that  be  drunken,  etc.  If 
you  do  not  mean  to  be  wakeful,  but  to  sleep, 
or  if,  on  the  other  hand,  you  do  not  mean  to 
be  sober,  but  to  give  yourselves  to  drinking 
and  revelry,  then  night  is  the  time  for  it,  as 
all  men  know.  But  your  time  is  not  night; 
you  belong  to  a  different  time — j-ou  are  of  a 
wholly  different  nature.  The  words  'sleep' 
and  'drunken'  are  in  this  verse  evidently  to 
be  taken  in  their  literal  sense,  the  reference 
being  to  existing  customs. 

8.  This  verse  repeats  the  argument  and  ex- 
hortation of  ver.  6,  then  adds :  putting  on 
the  breastplate  of  faith  and  love,  etc.  It 
is  now  a  soldierly  watchfulness  that  is  en- 
joined; so  also  Rom.  13:  12:  "The  night  is 
far  spent  and  the  day  is  at  hand;  ...  let  us 
put  on  the  armour  of  light."  The  Christian  is 
to  be  constantly  in  readiness  to  defend  himself 
against  the  foes  of  his  soul  and  of  the  gospel. 
Paul's  piety  was  in  a  marked  degree  of  the 
agonistic  type.  It  is  to  be  remembered,  also, 
that  in  ancient  times  all  male  citizens  capable 
of  bearing  weapons  were  trained  to  arms.  He 
could  scarcely  fail  to  think  of  the  Christian 
graces  under  the  figure  of  soldierly  equip- 
ments, even  had  Isa.  59  :  17  not  suggested  it  to 
him.  In  tliis  earliest  passage  he  names  only 
two  pieces  of  spiritual  armor;  for  the  fullest 
description,  see  Eph.  6  :  13-17.  Compare  How- 
son's  "Metaphors  of  St.  Paul,"  Chap.  I., 
"Roman  Soldiers."  The  main  piece,  the 
'breastplate,'  is  made  'of  faith  and  love.'  Is 
thine  a  believing  and  loving  heart,  O  Chris- 
tian? it  is  clad  in  mail  of  sure  i)roof.  The 
helmet  is  of  hope,  the  hope  of  salvation. 
In  the  list  of  pieces  mentioned  in  Ephesians 
the  breastplate  is  of  "righteousness"  and  the 
helmet  of  "salvation."  Our  present  passage 
serves  to  define  the  terms  there  used.  Observe 
that  the  helmet  of  the  ancient  soldier  was  the 
brightest  and  most  conspicuous  part  of  his 
armor. 

9.  10.  For  God  hath  not  appointed  us 


to  wrath,  but,  etc.  This  hope  of  which  I 
si)eak  is  "both  sure  and  steadfast," /o?-  God 
appointed  us  to  be  saved  ;  this  seems  to  be  the 
course  of  the  apostle's  thiught  as  shown  in  the 
Revised  Version  :  "For  God  appointed  us  not 
unto  wrath,  but  unto  the  obtaining  of  salva- 
tion." The  emphasis  in  reading  should  be  not 
on  'us,'  but  on  the  antithesis  of  wrath  and 
salvation;  we  are  not  to  suffer  his  wrath  as 
"by  nature"  (Eph. 2:2)  we  should  have  done, 
but  to  obtain  salvation  —  deliverance  from 
wrath;  this  salvation  is  already  potentially  an 
accomplished  fact,  it  being  obtained  by 
(throiigJt)  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  clos- 
ing, the  ajiostle  reverts  to  the  same  conclusion 
as  was  rea(!hed  in  tlie  preceding  paragraph, 
repeating  the  animating  assurance  that, 
whether  living  or  dying,  we  are  the  Lord's, 
and  shall  at  last  meet  in  his  presence  to  go  out 
no  more  forever. 

lO.  Who  died  for  us  — 'for,'  that  is,  for 
our  advantage,  on  our  behalf.  The  same 
preposition  is  found  in  Matt.  26:28:  "My 
blood  of  the  covenant  which  is  shed  for  many 
unto  the  remission  of  sins."  "When  the  sense 
is  died  "in  our  stead,"  another  prci)()silion  is 
used  (afTi),  as  in  Malt.  20  :  28.  That  whether 
we  wake  or  sleep — whether  at  his  coming 
we  be  among  the  living  or  the  dead.  '  Wake' 
is  the  word  rendered  'watch'  in  ver.  6  above, 
and  in  the  margin  of  this  verse  the  Revisers 
have  given  it  as  an  alternative  rendering. 
But  it  can  scarcely  be  questioned  that  llie 
figurative  sense  of  the  words  '  wake '  and 
'sleep,'  signifying  live  and  die  (certainly  not 
the  ethical  senile  of  spii-ituol  waking  and  sleep- 
ing), is  that  which  here  belongs  to  them.  If 
Paul  had  used  the  ordinar}-  words,  the  sen- 
tence would  have  read:  "That  whether  we  be 
living  or  dead,  we  should  live  together  with 
him" — an  awkward  repetition  of  the  same 
word  in  a  different  sense,  and  liable  to  .suggest 
an  antithesis  foreign  to  his  purpose.  It  thus 
happens  that  the  word  'sleep'  is  used  in  this 
paragraph  in  three  senses :  in  ver.  7  of  literal 


62                                          I.  THESSALONIANS.                                  [Ch.  V. 

11  Wherefore  comfort  yourselves  together,  and  edify 
one  another,  even  as  also  ye  do. 

11  Wherefore  'exhort    one   another,  and   build  each 
other  up,  even  as  also  ye  do. 

1  Or,  comfort. 

sleep;  in  ver.  6  of  moral  or  spiritual  sleep; 
and  in  the  present  cluuse  figuratively  for 
death.  Rom.  14  :  8  in  its  general  meaning  is 
a  parallel  passage:  "For  whether  we  live,  we 
live  unto  the  Lord;  or  whether  we  die,  we  die 
unto  the  Lord  ;  whether  we  live  therefore,  or 
die,  we  are  the  Lords."  On  the  double  prep- 
osition 'together  with,'  which  according  to 
many  interpreters  means  "at  the  same  time 
with,"  tlie  same  remarks  apply  as  in  4  :  17, 
above. 

II.  Wherefore  comfort  yourselves  to- 
gether (or,  one  another).  The  word  'com- 
fort' seems  preferable  here  to  'exhort,'  of  the 
Revised  Version,  as  the  verse  stands  in  the 
closest  parallelism  with  ver.  18  above.  The 
strain  of  admonitory  exhortation  has  glided 
over  into  one  of  encouraging  exhortation — a 
closing  refrain  of  comfort  and  bracing  hope. 
And  edify  one  another  (or,  Oiuld  each  other 
up).  "  Paul  considers  the  Christian  church, 
as  also  the  individual  Christian,  as  a  holy 
building,  a  holy  temple  of  God  which  is  in  the 
course  of  construction."  (Liineraann.)  So 
Peter  also  (i  Peter 2: 4,5),  "unto  whom  coming 
as  unto  a  living  stone,  ...  ye  also  as  living 
stones  are  built  up,  a  spiritual  house,"  etc. 
The  word  here  rendered  'build  up'  {oUoSoixelv) 
usmiUy  appears  in  the  Common  Version  as 
'edify,'  a  translation  to  which  the  Revisers 
have  in  most  cases  adhered,  the  instance  in  the 
present  verse  being  an  inconsistent  exception. 
The  verb  and  its  corresponding  noun  (in  Eng- 
.lish.  edification)  occur  in  tlieir  figurative  sense 
more  than  twenty-five  times  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  usually  in  Paul's  writings.  "With 
him  it  is  always,"  says  Howson,  "a  social 
word,  having  regard  to  the  mutual  improve- 
ment <»f  members  of  the  church  and  the  growth 
of  the  whole  body  in  faith  and  love."  "We 
give  it  an  individual  application.  We  say 
that  this  or  that,  a  book  read  in  private,  a  sen- 
tence from  a  sermon,  a  jirovidential  occur- 
rence, is  edifying  to  the  individual  Christian, 
without  reference  to  his  social  position  in  the 
ciiurch."  ("Metaphors  of  St.  Paul,"  Chapter 
on  "Classical  Architecture.")  It  may  be 
added  that  our  word  'edify'  has  taken  on  a 
too  exclusively  sentimental  sense;  it  has  been 


diluted  into  a  term  descriptive  of  devout  and 
fervent  discourse,  with  the  idea  of  substance 
left  out.  To  edify  one  another,  as  Paul  here 
uses  the  word,  is  evidently  to  assist  one  another 
in  the  upbuilding  of  character  upon  the  foun- 
dation laid  by  Christ,  upon  which  there  grow- 
eth  "a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord."  (Eph.2:2i.) 
Our  word  "brace"  has  acquired  a  similar 
figurative  sense  from  the  Latin  brachia, 
"arm,"  then  derivatively,  something  which 
supports  or  binds  together  the  parts  of  a  struct- 
ure ;  "brace  one  another  up"  would  well  ex- 
press one  phase  of  the  apostle's  thought  here. 

General  Note. — The  Parousia,  as  set 
Forth  in  this  Section. 

Christ's  Second  Advent  is  the  chief  theme 
of  doctrinal  instruction  in  the  two  epistles. 
The  details  of  the  foregoing  section  are  ex- 
pounded in  the  notes  already  given.  The 
following  points  bear  upon  its  theoretical  and 
practical  import  as  a  whole  : 

The  word  Parousia. — The  Greek  word  has 
several  significations.  In  Biblical  Greek  the 
prevailing  signification  is  arrival,  advent.  The 
verb  from  which  it  is  derived  denotes,  prima- 
rily, to  be  by,  or,  be  present;  secondai'ily,  and 
more  frequently,  to  arrive,  or,  to  have  arrived 
at  a  place.  The  noun  Parousia  likewise,  in  its 
earlier  and  etymological  sense,  meant  pres- 
ence, but  afterward  became  the  usual  equiv- 
alent for  our  arrival.  It  was  also  sometimes 
used  to  denote  substance,  and  abundance.  See 
Liddell  and  Scotfs  "Lexicon."  The  word 
occurs  seven  times  in  these  two  epistles,  twen- 
ty-four times  in  the  entire  New  Testament.  In 
seventeen  out  of  these  twenty-four  instances, 
it  refers  to  the  Advent  of  Christ.  It  is  the 
u.sual  New  Testament  word  to  denote  Christ's 
Second  Coming — his  return  to  earth,  when  he 
shall  call  the  dead  to  life,  hold  the  last  judg- 
ment, and  establish  the  kingdom  of  God  in 
the  fullness  of  its  glor3-. 

The  seven  passages  where  it  is  otherwise 
used  are  the  following,  as  rendered  in  the 
Revision:  1  Cor.  IG  :  17,  "And  I  rejoice  at 
the  coming  of  Stephanas,"  etc.  ;  2  Cor.  7  :  6, 
7,  "comforted  us  bj'  the  coming  of  Titus,  and 
not  by  his  coming  only,  but  also  by  the  com- 
fort wherewith  he  was  comforted  in  you"; 


Ch.  v.] 


I.  TIIESSALONIANS. 


63 


2 Cor.  10: 10,  "but  his  hodWy presence  is  weal<, 
and  his  speech  of  no  account"  ;  Phil.  1  :  20, 
"that  your  glorying  may  abound  in  Christ 
Jesus  through  my  presence  with  you  again"  ; 
Phil.  2  :  12,  "not  as  in  my  presence  onl^',  but 
now  niucli  more  in  my  absence  "  ;  2  Thess.  2, 
9,  "even  he  whose  coming  is  according  to  the 
working  of  Satan."  Even  in  these  seven  in- 
stances it  is  evident,  either  from  the  context 
or  from  the  prepositions  employed,  that  it  is 
not  so  much  the  presence  that  is  thought  of— 
a  being  with  the  person  referred  to — as  tiie 
arrival,  the  coming  to  be  with  them. 

Other  Scriptural  terms  to  designate  the 
epoch  of  the  Advent  are:  "Appearing" 
(iTTL<i>6.vii.a),  as  in  1  Tim.  6:14;  "revelation" 
(airoicaAui/d?),  as  lu  2  Thcss.  1:7;  "coming" 
(cA«i.<ris),  as  in  Acts  7  :  52  (referring,  however, 
to  the  First  Advent) ;  "the  day  of  the  Lord," 
"the  day  of  God,"  "the  great  day,"  "the 
end,"  etc. — these  latter  frequently. 

It  is  of  prime  importance  for  the  student  of 
this  subject  to  understand— so  often  is  the  case 
stated  otherwise — that  Parousia  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament answers  to  two  distinct  words,  arrival 
and  presence,  usually  the  former  ;  that  in  most 
instances  these  meanings  are  not  interchange- 
able, but  that  one  or  the  other  is  required, 
according  to  the  context;  for  example,  the 
former  in  1  Cor.  16 :  17,  and  the  latter  in  Phil. 
2  :  12.  The  Eevisers  have,  unfortunatelj',  con- 
tributed to  a  misunderstanding  on  this  point, 
by  adding,  where  they  have  translated  "com- 
ing," the  marginal  explanation,  *^  Greek,  pres- 
ence "  ;  the  latter  is  by  no  means  the  significa- 
tion (if  the  word,  but  only  another  and  dis- 
tinct signification.  Many  writers  have  main- 
tained the  contrary, —  that  the  word  "  reall^'," 
(ir  "literally,"  means  ^rese?*ce, — and  some  have 
drawn  altogether  unscriptural  inferences  from 
this  supposed  "literal"  meaning.  Canon  Row 
says:  ^^ Parousia  really  means  presence."' 
("Future  lletribution,"  p.  209.)  Dr.  James 
Morison :  "Literally',  the  Greek  term  means! 
presence;  the  word  'coming,'  though  a  good  I 
translation  of  the  original  term,  is  not  literal." 
("Commentary  on  Matthew," p.455.)  Dr.Israel 
P.  Wa rren  den ies  that  "  com i ng, "  or  "  ad vcn t, " 
is  a  proper  translation,  asserting  that  it  "de- 
notes relations  of  permane7ice.'^  ("Parousia of 
Christ,"  pp.  14,  15.)  This  is  not  the  place  to 
present,  the  philological  argument.  The  reader 
is  referred  to  Thayer's  "Lexicon  of  the  New 


Testament"  ;  and  for  fuller  proof,  to  a  com- 
parison of  the  passages  in  the  New  Testament 
and  the  Septuagint,  where  the  noun  and  its 
cognate  verb  are  used. 

Doctrinal  import. — The  particular  object  of 
the  section,  and  the  instruction  it  particularly 
aimed  to  convey,  have  been  pointed  out  in  the 
notes  at  the  beginning.  Its  teaching  concern- 
ing the  Advent,  either  directly  or  by  implica- 
tion, may  be  summarized  as  follows:  It  will 
be  sudden  and  unexpected;  it  will  be  a  per- 
sonal coming  of  Christ,  in  visible  form  ;  it  will 
be  with  angelic,  and  other  sujiernatural  and 
glorious  manifestations;  it  will  be  accompa- 
nied by  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  ;  it  will  be 
for  the  final  recompense  and  unending  bliss 
of  his  people.  Furthermore,  although  the 
time  is  unrevealed,  and  the  privilege  or  ca- 
pacity of  ascertaining  it  is  not  granted  to  men, 
nevertheless  it  is  in  some  sense  near  at  hand. 

It  should  be  added,  in  this  connection,  that 
while  the  ))resent  section  teaches  nothing  ex- 
plicitly concerning  the  overthrow  of  the  Jewish 
commonwealth,  yet  that  fact  is  necessarily  in- 
volved in  the  scope  of  its  predictions,  and, 
indeed,  forms  an  essential  element  in  the  New 
Testament  doctrine  of  the  Advent.  The  teach- 
ing of  the  apostles  concerning  the  Parousia  is 
based  on  that  of  our  Lord.  The  Coming  of 
the  Kingdom,  and  his  own  Return,  were 
themes  on  which  he  gave  frequent  instruction 
in  aphorism,  parable,  and  explicit  prediction; 
particularly  in  the  great  prophetic  discourse 
which  Matthew  has  recorded  in  chapters  24, 
25  Parousia,  and  other  terms  applied  to  our 
Lord's  Return,  have  in  his  teaching  a  broad 
and  comprehensive  signification.  They  refer 
to  no  one  single  and  isolated  event.  That  he 
was  to  depart  and  come  again,  the  disciples' 
were  constantly  trained  to  expect.  At  times 
his  language  suggested  a  sjiiritual  return,  an 
inward  manifestation  of  himself  through  the 
Holy  Spirit;  this  especially  in  the  farewell 
discourses  recorded  in  John.  On  other  occa- 
sions, it  is  the  final  Coming  to  establish  his 
everlasting  kingdom,  the  last  great  epoch  of 
human  history.  But  another  epoch  is  also 
plainly  predicted,  the  destruction  of  the  Jew- 
ish Commonwealth.  A  portion,  at  least,  of 
our  Lord's  great  eschatological  discourse  re- 
fers to  this,  as  is  now  admitted  by  almost 
all  commentators.  We  refer  the  reader  to 
the  excellent  exposition  of  this  discourse  in 


64 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  V 


the  "  Commentary  on  Matthew,'   belonging    Keturn  of  their  absent  King,  that  the  race 


to  the  present  series,  by  Dr.  Broadus ;  also  to 
Schmid,  "Biblical  Theology  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament," where  the  substance  of  our  Lord's 
teaching  on  the  subject  is  given  in  brief,  but 
well-proportioned  outline.  See,  especially, 
pp.  221,  222,  202-209.  It  is,  therefore,  to  be 
bi>riie  in  mind  in  the  reading  of  this  section, 
tiiat  the  Apostle  Paul's  expectation  of  a  .speedy 
Parousia  was,  in  one  sense,  justified  by  the 
event.  The  threatened  judgment  on  the  Jew- 
ish Theocracy,  the  awful  outpouring  of  divine 
wrath  upon  an  apostate  nation  (compare  1 
Thess.  2  :  10)  was  indeed  nigh  at  hand. 

Practical  Import. — Important  lessons  de- 
rivable from  the  doctrine  are  enforced  by 
the  apostle  himself  Note  the  exhortations: 
'Watch  and  be  sober'  ;  'Put  on  the  breast- 
plate of  faith  and  love,  and  for  a  helmet  the 
hojie  of  salvation.'  Other  practical  truths 
will  come  to  view  in  every  age  as  corollaries 
from  the  doctrine.     A  few  words  will  suggest 


will  move  onward  to  a  better  day. 

2.  The  doctrine  of  the  Parousia  marks  the 
]} resent  order  of  things  as  the  Church's  proba- 
tion.— "A  state  of  probation,"  says  Bishop 
Butler,  "implies  particularly  trial,  difficulties, 
and  danger,  and  has  for  its  end  moral  disci- 
pline." The  kingdom  of  God  has  not  yet 
fully  come.  The  present  world  is  still  a  world 
of  death  and  of  sin;  it  "  lieth  in  the  Evil 
One."  The  Christian  life  must  for  the  present 
continue  to  be  an  unremitting  conflict  with 
the  powers  of  evil : 

"  Thou  must  watch  and  combat 
Till  the  day  of  the  new  earth  and  heaven." 

It  is  clearly  revealed  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
Advent  that  this  is  not  an  accidental,  or  even 
a  remediable,  condition  of  things  during  the 
existing  historical  Dispensation.  No  progress 
of  truth,  no  industrial  reform,  no  scheme  of 
national  co-operation,  no  social  or  moral  de- 


several  which  are  particularly  applicable  to  !  velopment  of  humanity,   will   eradicate   this 

our  own  time.  disorder  of  human   life.     Not  even  the  diffu- 

1.  'The  doctrine  of  the  Parousia  aligns  the  '•  sion  of  the  gospel  and  the  universal  sway  of 

true  cou)-se  of  hitman  progress. — According  i  Christianity  will  suffice.     Each  new  genera- 


to  the  Stoic  philosophj',  man  was  to  attain  his 
highest  moral  destiny  by  enthroning  his  own 
reason,  and  by  bringing  himself  into  conform- 
ity with  nature.  The  Epicurean  tauglit  him  to 
appropriate  the  world,  and  make  the  niostof  its 
present  enjoyments.  Other  schools  of  thought 
have  looked  to  the  progress  of  the  sciences  and 
the  development  of  earth's  material  resources; 
others,  still,  insist  on  the  inherent  irnprovable- 
ness  of  man.  "  From  what  has  already  gcme 
on  during  the  historic  period  of  man's  exist- 
ence, we  can  safely  predict  a  change  that  will 
by-and-by  distinguish  him  from  all  other 
creatures  even  more  widely  and  more  funda- 
mentally than  he  is  distinguished  to-day." 
(Prof.  John  Fiske,  "Destiny  of  Man,"  p. 
73.)  Alas!  on  either  of  these  lines  man's 
course  will  only  be  downward,  and  his  phi- 
losophy end  in  pos.simism.  The  Christian 
doctrine   of  the   future   is   far   different.      A 


tion  must  renew  the  contest,  and  repel  fresh 
assaults  from  the  powers  of  evil.  Only  the 
Coming  of  the  world's  King  unto  salvation 
will  banish  them  forever.     Hence: 

3.  Christ  s  return  is  the  goal  of  the  Church's 
hope. — "Till  I  come"  (Luitei9:i3),  "until  the 
Lord  come"  (iCor. 4:5),  are  words  that  from 
age  to  age  sound  in  theear  of  the  church.  The 
crown  of  righteousness  is  to  be  finally  be- 
stowed upon  "all  them  that  have  loved  his 
appearing."  The  heart  of  a  true  and  loyal 
church  is  ever  with  her  absent  Lord.  To 
Christian  thought  the  vista  of  human  history 
closes  with  the  person  of  the  returning  Re- 
deemer as  the  satisfaction  of  the  world's  hope, 
the  realization  of  every  ideal,  the  solution  of  all 
human  problems.  "Set  j'our  hope  perfectly," 
the  Apostle  Peter  writes,  "on  the  grace  that 
is  to  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  revelation  of 

Jesus  Christ."      (I  Peter  l  :13.  Rev.  Ver.)      It  is  by  HO 


Deliverer  has  descended  into  the  world  for  its  j  moans  imperative  that  the  subject  of  the  Ad- 
rcdomption  from  the  bondage  of  moral  evil ;  I  vent  should  occupy  the  same  relative  promi- 
humanity  is  to  co-operate  in  the  furtherance  j  nence  in  the  thought  of  our  own  daj' that  it  did 
of  the  enterprise,  but  its  full  realization  awaits  j  in  theearly  part  of  the  apostolic  age.  Butprom- 
the  return  of  the  same  Deliverer.  It  is  by  inent  it  must  be  in  the  thought  of  everj'  one 
loyal  service  to  the  crucified  and  risen  Jesus,  !  who  has  truly  learned  to  pray  "Thj^  kingdom 
by  preparing  the  soul  and  the  worldfor  the  I  come."'     The  wider  the  spiritual  vision  of  the 


Ch.  v.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


65 


12  And  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  to  know  them 
which  labour  among  you,  aud  are  over  you  iu  the  Lord, 
aud  udiuonisli  you ; 

13  And  to  es'ieeiu  them  very  highly  in  love  for  their 
work's  sake.    And  be  at  peace  among  yourselves. 


12  But  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  to  know  them  that 
labour  among  you,  and  arc  over  you  iu  the  Lord, 

13  and  admonisU  you;  aud  to  esteem  them  exceeding 
high  iu  love  lor  their  work's  sake,    be  at  peace 


believer  the  more  thorouglily  his  personal  life 
is  identified  with  the  life  of  the  church,  the 
more  eagerly  will  he  look  forward  to  the 
dawn  of  the  millennial  morning.  "My  soul 
looketh  for  the  Lord,  more  than  watchmen 
look  for  the  morning."   (,ps.  i30:6,  rcv.  ver.) 

"  Great  Kiug,  we  await  thee !    From   watchtowers  of 
prayer 
Expectant  we  gaze  through  the  sin-troubled  air, 

And  with  far-reaching  vision  we  see 
That  thy  throne  standeth  firmly,  eternal,  sublime, 
While  still  through  the  mists  aud  confusions  of  time 
The  earth  climbeth  upward  to  thee." 

12-28.  Closing  Exhortations  mid  Benedic- 
tion. Having  given  instruction  on  the  prin- 
cipal point  which  he  had  in  view  in  the 
writing  of  the  Epistle,  Paul  now  closes  with  a 
few  practical  precepts  appropriate  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  young'church.  Beginning  with 
duties  to  superiors  in  the  church,  he  speaks 
next  of  duties  toward  all  Christian  brethren, 
then  toward  other  persons,  finally  of  matters 
that  pertain  to  their  own  inner  life. 

12.  And  (^but)  we  beseech  you.  The 
transition  is  a  sudden,  but  necessary,  one. 
With  lifted  finger  he  has  pointed  to  glories 
beyond.  But  there  are  duties  here.  Until 
he  come  there  is  a  settled  order  and  constitu- 
tion of  things,  with  corresponding  obligations. 
KnoAV  them  which  labour  among  you. 
'Know,'  recognize  and  regard  them  as  such  ; 
as  their  labors,  their  official  position,  and  their 
monitory  responsibilities  entitle  them  to  be 
recognized.  When  writing  to  the  Philippians 
of  Timothy,  Paul  reminds  them  :  "Ye  know 
his  worth" — that  is,  his  tried  character.  Of 
Epaphroditus  he  says:  "Receive  him  there- 
fore in  the  Lord  with  all  joy  ;  and  hold  such 
in  honour. ^^  The  persons  designated  are  evi- 
dently the  office-bearers  of  the  church,  in  par- 
ticular the  elders  (7rpe<rpuT«poi  and  en-io-KOTrot),  who 
had  been  "  placed  over  them  in  the  Lord"  by 
the  apostle.  And  are  over  you  in  the  Lord 
— "are  over"  (irpoio-raMtVou?)  is  the  word  usually 
rendered  "rule,"  and  accordingly  designates 
here,  not  their  superiority  in  rank,  but  their 
function  as  leaders,  presiding  officers,  and 
rulers.     They  were  charged  with  official  and 


governmental  authority.  See  1  Tim.  6  :  17, 
"Let  the  elders  that  rule  well  be  counted 
worthy  of  double  honour,  especially  those  who 
labour  in  the  word  and  in  teaching."  Rom. 
12:  8,  "He  that  ruleth  (let  him  do  it)  with 
diligence."  This  duty  of  presiding  or  ruling 
especially  entitled  the  elders  of  the  church  to 
the  attentive  consideration  of  their  brethren. 
They  ruled  'in  the  Lord'— that  is,  in  spiritual 
things,  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  Christ-life 
and -service.  And  admonish  you.  Admo- 
nition includes  not  only  rebuke  of  wrong- 
doers, but  warning  and  advice  to  such  as 
needed  to  be  on  their  guard  against  wrong- 
doing. See  Cremer,  "  liiblico-Theological 
Lexicon."  That  this  duty  devolved  not  upon 
the  officers  alone  of  the  church  appears  from 
ver.  14,  Rom.  5  :  14,  2  Thess.  3  :  15. 

13.  And  to  esteem  them  very  (or,  exceed- 
ing) highly  in  love.  Having  been  exhorted 
to  think  rightly  of  their  pastors,  they  are  next 
exhorted  to  feel  rightly  toward  them,  to  hold 
them  in  high  esteem  lovingly.  On  this  point 
especial  stress  is  laid,  a  strong  superlative  be- 
ing used,  the  same  adverb  (with  changed 
ending)  as  in  3  :  10  above,  and  in  Eph.  3  :  20, 
"  Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding 
abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think," 
etc.  A  most  important  duty,  this  affectionate 
esteem  for  our  spiritual  guides  and  leaders. 
Without  it  the  work  of  "building  one  another 
up"  is  hindered,  and  indeed  the  overthrow  of 
the  spiritual  temple  threatened.  For  their 
works'  sake— that  is,  the  work  just  described. 
Your  esteem  and  love  are  not  to  be  deter- 
mined by  mere  personal  partialities  or  preju- 
dices. "Without  respect  of  persons"  is  the 
rule  in  this  matter.  The  work  that  devolves 
upon  them  and  which  thej'  are  performing  in 
the  Lord  entitles  them  of  itself  to  j'our  loving 
regard.  The  whole  admonition  is  one  of  the 
highest  importance,  its  observance  vital  to  the 
spiritual  efficiency  of  a  church.  Clearly  con- 
nected with  it  is  the  following:  Be  at  peace 
among  yourselves.  So  Mark  9  :  50,  "  Be  at 
peace  one  with  another"  ;  2  Cor.  13  :  11,  "Be 
of  the  same  mind  ;  live  in  peace"  ;  also  Rom. 
12  :  18.     These  are  tlie  four   passages  in.  tlie 


66 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  V. 


14  Now  we  exhort  you,  brethren,  warn  them  that  are 
unruly,  comfort  the  feebie-miuded,  support  the  weak, 
be  patient  toward  all  men. 

15  See  that  none  render  evil  for  evil  unto  any  man; 
but  ever  follow  that  which  is  good,  both  among  your- 
selves, and  to  all  men. 


14  among  yourselves.  And  we  exhort  you,  brethren, 
admonish  the  disorderly,  encourage  the  faintheiirt- 
ed,  support  the  weak,  be  longsutlering  toward  all. 

15  bee  that   none   render  unto  any  one  evil  for  evil ; 


New  Testament  where  the  word  here  rendered 
"be  at  peace"  is  found.  This  state  of  peace 
or  liarmony  has  its  source  and  basis  in  love, 
"  wliich  is  the  bond  of  perfectness." 

14.  Warn  them  that  are  unruly — an  ex- 
hortation to  the  members  of  the  church,  one 
and  all;  not  to  its  officers  alone.  A  duty  to 
be  discharged  in  accordance  with  the  princi- 
ple laid  down  in  Phil.  2  :  4,  where  we  are  re- 
minded to  be  intent  upon  the  interests  of 
others.  "Warning  or  admonition,  however,  is 
not  merely  rebuke.  Bee  ver.  12  above.  The 
'  unruly '  or  the  disorderly — not  persons  guilty 
of  gross  immorality,  but  those  who  were  neg- 
lecting the  regular  industrious  life  suitable  to 
the  Christian  name  and  profession.  That  this 
is  the  meaning  may  fairly  be  inferred  from 
4  :  11,  12  and  from  the  passages  in  the  Second 
Epistle  (3:6,7,11).  where  the  word  occurs;  a 
word  originally  applied  to  a  soldier  guilty  of 
leaving  his  post  or  place  in  the  ranks.  It  is 
not  found  in  the  New  Testament  except  in  the 
passages  just  named,  namely,  2  Thess.  8  :  6,  7, 
11,  and  the  present  verse.  Ellicott  adds,  by 
way  of  showing  the  connection  with  the  pre- 
ceding: "The  Christian  brethren  at  Thessa- 
lonioa  were  not  only  to  be  at  peace  with  one 
another  themselves,  but  also  to  do  their  best  to 
cause  it  to  be  maintained  by  others."  Com- 
fort the  feeble-minded — those  who  are  de- 
sponding, whose  courage  is  small,  whether 
"by  reason  of  persecution  (2 :  u),  or  the  death 
of  friends  (* ;  i3),  or  from  any  other  cause." 
Such  are  the  "poor  in  spirit"  spoken  of 
in  the  opening  sentence  of  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount.  The  word  itself  {oXiy6^vxo<:)  does 
not  occur  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament. 
How  eminently  did  Paul  set  the  example! 
God,  he  says,  "comforteth  us  in  all  our 
affliction  that  we  may  be  able  to  comfort  them 
that  are  in  any  affliction,  through  the  comfort 
wherewith  we  ourselves  are  comforted  of 
God."  Support  the  Aveak.  Here  it  is  not  so 
mucl)  despondency  as  lack  of  moral  courage 
and  stamina  that  needs  helj).  It  may  spring 
from  ignorance,  or  from  the  specific  defects  of 
religious  character.  It  is  the  word  rendered 
"sick"  in  many  pas-agos  and  in  Eom,  5  :  6, 


"without  strength."  The  weak  in  this  sense 
often  think  themselves  strong,  and  thus  fall 
the  more  easily  into  temptation.  We  must 
support — hold  on  to  them,  as  the  word 
implies,  not  expect  or  leave  them  to  stand 
alone.  Rom.  15  :  1,  "Now  we  that  are  strong 
ought  to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and 
not  to  please  ourselves."  Be  patient  toward 
all.  The  preceding  injunctions  of  the  verse 
apply  to  special  cases;  the  duty  of  Christian 
patience,  long-suffering,  forbearance,  is  of 
universal  application  ;  it  is  called  for  in  our 
relations  with  all  our  brethren.  'AH'  refers 
especially  to  Christians;  so  that  least  the 
preceding  part  of  the  verse  seems  to  imply. 
1  Cor.  13  :  4,  "Love  suffereth  long  and  is 
kind";  Eph.  4:  2,  "with  all  holiness  and 
meekiiess,  with  long-svffering,  forbearing  one 
another  in  love."  God  is  represented  through- 
out the  Scriptures  as  long-suffering  —  that 
is,  patient,  slow  to  be  angry  or  to  punish; 
Exod.  34  :  6,  "The  Lord  God;  merciful  and 
gracious,  long-suffering  and  abundant  in  good- 
ness and  truth." 

15.  See  that  none  render  evil  for  evil 
unto  any  man,  etc.  Take  heed  that  no  one 
of  you.  No  special  oversight  of  others  is  en- 
joined, as  the  word  'see'  might  perhaps  im- 
ply. In  Rom.  12  :  17,  Paul  repeats  the  pre- 
cept: "  Render  to  no  man  evil  for  evil,"  and 
then  (^er.  18-21)  expands  and  enforces  it  in 
words  worthy  to  be  written  in  letters  of  gold. 
The  maxim  is  distinctly  Christian,  one  of  the 
loftiest  in  the  Christian  ethical  code,  and  con- 
stitutes one  of  the  sternest  tests  of  Christian 
character.  In  its  full  Scriptural  import  it  has 
no  organic  place  in  any  heathen  system.  It 
is  true  that  individual  instances  of  similar 
precepts  occur  in  Pagan  writers,  but  they  are 
meteors  from  an  outlj'ing  space,  and  fall  into 
the  soil  of  heathen  thought  onl3'  to  be 
quenched.  They  do  not  represent  the  gen- 
eral spiritand  purportof  their  teachings;  even 
Seneca,  the  great  Stoic  moralist,  forms  no  ex- 
ception. See  Lightfoot  "On  Philippians," 
p.  283.  The  precept  prohibits  revenge  uncon- 
ditionally, in  spirit  and  in  act.  Christ,  once 
for  all,  abolished  the   law   of  retaliation,   as 


Ch.  v.] 


I.  THE?SALONIANS. 


67 


16  Rejoice  evermore. 

17  I'ray  without  ceasing. 

.    18  111  e'veryihiug  give  thanks:  for  this  is  the  will  of 
God  in  Christ  Jetius  concerning  you. 


IG  but  alway  follow  after  that  which  is  good,  one  toward 

17  another,  and  toward  all.  Kejoici-  alway  ;  pray  wiilioul 

18  ceasing;  in  every  thing  give  thanks:  for  I'uis  is  the 


Utterly  hostile  to  the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  See 
Matt,  5  :  39,  "But  I  say  unto  you:  Resist 
not  evil"  (Revised  Version  "him  that  is 
evil"),  and  the  following  verses.  See,  fur- 
ther, e.xcelient  remarks  on  this  verse  in  Lillie 
"  On  Thessalonians.'  But  ever  follow  that 
which  is  good.  This  clause  is  the  counter- 
part of  tiie  preceding.  The  emphasis  belongs 
rather  on  the  latter  phrase:  'that  which  is 
good,'  that  which  is  beneficial,  which  doeth 
good.  So  Vaughan,  EUicott,  Olshausen,  and 
others.  See  Rom.  12  :  21,  "  Be  not  overcome 
of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good."  Others 
understand  'good'  here  to  be  simply  the  right, 
the  morally  good.  The  spirit  and  practice 
here  required,  it  is  to  be  observed,  will  not 
come  of  itself;  it  is  to  be  followed  after,  pur- 
sued ;  it  is  one  of  the  last  and  highest  Chris- 
tian iittainments.  It  has  well  been  said  by 
Julius  Miiller,  "True  morality  in  its  real- 
ization and  accomplishment  includes  an 
abundance  of  energetic  eifurt."  Both  among 
yourselves  and  to  all  men.  "  The  former 
of  these  actings  of  good  is  what  St.  Peter  calls 
brotherly  kindness  (2  Peter  i:  17);  the  latter  is 
that  which  he  denominates  charity  (Revised 
Version  love).  Tiie  latter  is  the  higher  grace. 
....  The  mutual  love  of  Christians  should 
be  an  easier  attainm.ent  than  the  universal 
love  of  Christians  to  an  unbelieving  and  per- 
secuting world."     (Vaughan.) 

16-18.  Here  follow  precepts  that  bear  upon 
the  inner  life;  and  first  a  trio  of  mottoes,  re- 
minding us  that  .jo3%  prayer,  praise  belong  to 
all  duties-^are  to  pervade  all  life. 

16.  Rejoice  evermore — or,  alway.  Phil. 
3:1,  '"Finally,  my  brethen,  rejoice  in  the 
Lord";  4:4,  "Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway: 
again  I  will  say.  Rejoice."  The  Epistle  to  the 
Philippians  has  been  fitly  termed  "an  inspired 
coinmentonthisprecept."  Thejoy  herespoken 
of  is  a  loy  in  the  Lord;  it  is  also  a  joy  '■''of  the 
Holy  Spirit"  (oh.  1  :  is),  produced  by  him  in 
the  .«oul,  even  amid  affliction  ;  thus  it  was  in 
the  apostle's  own  experience,  2  Cor.  6  :  10, 
"  as  sorrowful  yet  always  rejoicing."  Not  that 
the  pilgrim  can  make  his  journey  all  the  way 
in  the  land  of  Beulah,  where  "  thesunshineth 
night  and  day,"  and  where  he  can  always  have 


sight  of  the  city  to  which  he  is  going.  But 
this  joy  may  irradiate  his  soul  when  his  path 
lies  in  darkness  and  clouds  hide  the  heavenly 
city  from  view.  If  with  these  Thessalonians 
he  is  awaiting  the  near  Coming  of  the  Lord, 
he  will  be  steadfast  in  hope  and  joy.  Com- 
pare King  Richard's  encouragement  to  his 
followers  : 

"  Look  not  to  the  ground, 

Ye  favorites  of  a  King.    Are  we  not  high? 

High  be  our  thoughts." 

"  Richard  II.,"  Act  III.,  Scene  II. 

The  precept  of  the  verse  is  in  striking  con- 
trast with  the  ethical  maxims  of  the  Stoic 
philosophy,  which  aimed  rather  at  self-con- 
quest by  the  repression  of  feeling. 

17.  Pray  without  ceasing.  "He  shows 
how  to  be  always  rejoicing,"  says  Chrysos- 
tom.  The  apostle  does  not  say,  "Be  praying 
nt  all  titnes,"  but  "  Never  be  done  praying." 
Says  Viiughan:  "The  act  of  prayer  must  be 
intermittent;  the  spirit  of  prayer  should  be 
incessant."  Our  Lord's  life  was  evidently 
one  of  unceasing  prayer,  though  often  in  the 
literal  sense  "he  ceased  praying"  ;  for  exam- 
ple Luke  11  :  1.  Parallel  with  the  present  pas- 
sage are  Col.  4:2,  "  Continue  steadfastly  in 
prayer,  watching  therein  with  thanksgiving'" ; 
Eph.  6:  18,  "With  all  })rayer  and  supplica- 
tion praying  at  all  seasons  in  the  Spirit." 

18.  In  everything  give  thank.s.  Every 
event,  every  circumstance  of  life,  will  furnish 
an  occasion  and  a  theme  for  thanksgiving. 
This  duty  is  made  very  prominent  in  Paul's 
writings,  as  indeed  elsewhere  in  the  Scriptures. 
He  uses  the  verb  and  noun  denoting  thanks- 
giving nearly  forty  times.  A  concordance 
(see  "thanks,"  "thanksgiving,"  "praise,"  the 
latter  two  being  often  used  interchangeably  in 
translation)  will  show  the  prominence  of  the 
topic  in  the  Old  Testament.  Compare  Ps.  50: 
14:  "Offer  unto  God  thanksgiving,"  and  28: 
"Whoso  offereth  praise  [literally,  sacrificeth 
thanksgiving]  glorifieth  me." 

The  three  precepts  of  ver.  lG-18  are  beauti- 
fully blended  in  Phil.  4  :  6. 

For  this  is  the  will  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus — 'this'  referring,  in  the  opinion  of 
most  expositors,  to  the  latter  of  the  just  men- 


68 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  V. 


19  Quench  not  the  Spirit. 

2J  Despise  not  prophesyiugs. 

21  Prove  all  things;  hold  fast  that  which  is  good. 


19  will  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  to  you-ward.    Quench 
■jO  not  the  Spirit ;  despise  not  propbesyings;  i  prove  all 

21  things  J  hold  fast  that  which  is  good;  abstain  from 

22  every  lorm  of  evil. 


1  MaDj  aucient  authorities  iusert  but. 


tioned  duties — thanksgiving.  See  Ps.  50  :  23, 
quoted  above.  The  perpetual  offering  up  of 
grateful  praise  is  contemplated  in  God's  pur- 
p,)se  of  grace  toward  us.  See  Eph.  1  :  11,  12: 
•'having  been  foreordained  according  to  the 
])urpose  of  iiini  who  worketh  all  things  after 
the  counsel  of  his  will;  to  the  end  that  tve 
should  be  unto  the  praise  of  his  glory,"  etc. 
'In  Christ  Jesus' — ''in  whom  alone  God  wills 
everything  and  does  everything  concerning 
his  church."     (Vauglian.) 

19.  Quench  not  the  Spirit.  The  Holy 
Spirit  is  often  figuratively  conceived  as  a 
flame.  To  "quench"  the  Spirit  is  to  "grieve" 
him  (Epii.4:30j,  to  disregard  his  presence,  refuse 
his  guidance,  repress  his  manifestations.  The 
admonition  in  this  instance  would  seem  from 
what  follows  to  be  aimed  against  disregard  of 
the  Spirit's  voice  as  made  known  in  the  Thes- 
salonian  Church  through  prophecy.  A  simi- 
lar exiiortation,  in  a  positive  form,  Paul  sends 
to  Timothy  in  his  second  letter  (1:6):  "that 
thou  stir  up  (literally,  stir  into  flame)  the  gift 
of  God,  which  is  in  thee  through  the  laying 
on  of  my  hands."  To  the  Thessalonians  he 
says:  Do  not  stifle,  but  cherish,  honor,  every 
impulse  or  voice  of  the  Spirit.     In  particular: 

20.  Despise  not  prophesyings — that  is, 
communications  from  the  Holy  Spirit  to  his 
prophets  in  the  Thessalonian  Church.  In  this, 
as  in  the  other  early  Christian  congregations, 
there  appear  to  have  been  prophets,  "the  sec- 
ond of  the  four  great  ministries  ordained  by 
Christ  for  the  jierfecting  of  the  saints."  Eph. 
4:  11,  "And  he  gave  some  to  be  apostles; 
and  some  prophets;  and  some  evangelist*; 
and  some  pastors  and  teachers;"  1  Cor.  VI, 
28,  "And  God  hath  set  so.ne  in  the  church, 
first  apostles,  secondly  prophets,"  etc.  They 
were  inspired  men,  selected  to  attest  in  a  spe- 
cial manner  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
the  midst  of  his  people,  and  to  make  known 
his  will  in  special  exigencies.  Through  them 
the  church  at  Antioch  was  commanded  to  set 
apart  Paul  and  Barnabas  for  their  foreign 
missionary  work.  It  was  through  'prophesy- 
ings'  (the  same  word  as  in  the  present  verse) 
that  Timothy   had   been  pointed  out  as  ap- 


proved   by  the   Holy  Spirit   for  the   mission 
entrusted  to  him  by  Paul.     See  1  Tim.  1  :  18. 

But  important  as  was  this  gift  to  the  life  and 
growth  of  the  apostolic  churches,  it  was  pecu- 
liarly liable  to  fall  into  contempt.  This  would 
happen  in  some  cases  from  lack  of  due  self- 
restraint  on  the  part  of  its  possessor.  See  1 
Cor.  14  :  30-33.  Intellectual  and  order-loving 
persons  might  easily  ^o  to  an  extreme  in 
opposing  unusual  manifestations  of  prophetic 
fervor.  Another  reason  for  despising  proi)he- 
sying  would  be  the  presence  of  false  prophets. 
As  did  false  apostles,  these  would  sow  discord 
and  error  in  the  churches.  The  apostles  found 
it  necessary  to  warn  converts  and  churches 
against  such  ;  1  John  4:1,  "  Beloved,  believe 
not  every  spirit,  but  prove  the  spirits  whether 
they  are  of  God ;  because  many  false  prophets 
are  gone  out  into  the  world."  Compare  1  Cor. 
12  :  3.  But  notwithstanding  there  were  pre- 
tenders to  prophetic  gifts,  and  the  gifts  them- 
selves were  liable  to  abuse,  these  and  all  such 
spiritual  endowments  were  to  be  valued,  hon- 
ored, and  coveted.  To  do  less  than  tliis  was  to 
"quench  the  Spirit." 

21.  Prove  all  things— or,  following  the 
text  of  Tischendorf,  and  Westcott  and  Hort 
— "  But  prove  all  things,"  that  is,  all  the  pro- 
phetic utterances  to  which  reference  has  been 
made.  Distinguish  between  real  and  pre- 
tended gifts;  "prove  the  spirits  whether  they 
are  of  God."  The  criterion  would  be  the 
Scriptures,  and  the  apostolic  teaching  which 
they  had  already  received.  From  1  Cor.  12: 10 
it  appears  that  there  was  also  a  special  endow- 
ment bestowed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  some  ; 
namely,  "the  discerning  of  spirits."  This 
was,  as  Riggenbach  remarks,  "a  kind  of 
receptive  prophes^-ing,  incapable  thei-efore  of 
producing,  but  of  inestimable  value  as  a  sound 
counterpoise  to  possible  irregularities."  The 
exhortation  here,  however,  is  to  the  church  as 
a  bodj';  by  the  use  of  all  means  afforded  them 
they  were  to  distinguish  the  false  from  the 
true.  A  special  occasion  for  this  exercise  of 
Christian  discernment  soon  appeared — a  pre- 
tended inspired  communication,  to  the  effect 
that   "the   day   of  the    Lord"   had   already 


Ch.  v.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


69 


22  Abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil. 

2f  And  the  very  Goil  of  pt-aou  sanctify  yon  wholly; 
and  I  iiniij  (itij  your  whole  spirit  and  soi'il  and  body  he 
preserved  blameleiis  uuto  the  coiuiug  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 


23  And  the  God  of  peace  himself  sanctify  you  wholly: 
and  may  your  spirit  and  soul  and  body  be  preserved 
entire,  without  blaiue  at  the  '  coming  of  our  Lord 


come.  See  2  Thess.  2:2.  In  the  church  to- 
diiy  liow  valuable  is  the  gift  of  sound  judg- 
ment! More  brilliant  talents,  more  showy 
qualities,  may  be  far  less  helpful  to  the 
churches'  progress.  Well-instructed  judg- 
ment will  enable  them  to  obey  the  ne.vt  in- 
junction :  Hold  fast  that  which  is  good. 
Not  only  accept,  but  lay  hold  of,  and  still 
more.^  holdfast.  Cotnpare  LukeS:  15.  "Such 
as  in  an  honest  and  good  heart,  having  heard 
the  word,  hold  it  fast,  and  bring  forth  fruit 
with  patience."  The  connection  is  the  same 
as  in  Phil.  1:9,  10:  "that  your  love  may 
abound  more  and  more  in  knowledge  and  all 
discern tnent,  so  that  ye  may  approve  the 
things  that  are  excellent." 

'Z'Z,  Abstain  from  every  appearance  of 
evil.  The  translation  of  the  Cotiimon  Ver- 
sion gives  a  sense  alien  to  the  original  and  to 
the  requirements  of  the  context.  It  should  be 
Frojn  every  form  of  evil.  This  precept  is  to  be 
closely  joined  with  the  preceding,  to  which  it 
stands  in  fitting  antithesis.  See  Rom.  12  :  9, 
"Abhor  thtit  which  is  evil;  cleave  to  that 
which  is  good."  Through  this  twofold  pro- 
cess the  growth  of  the  Christian  character 
goes  on,  assimilating  the  good,  rejecting  tlie 
evil.  The  energy  of  the  second  process  will 
be  directly  proportioned  to  that  of  the  first. 

33.  And  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify 
you  wholly.  Better,  the  God  of  peace  him- 
self. See  the  similar  comprehensive  invoca- 
tion at  the  end  of  chapter  3.  Paul  turns  their 
thoughts,  as  he  closes  this  series  of  exhorta- 
tions, toward  the  one  Author  of  all  moral  and 
holy  life.  Your  salvation  is  not  of  us,  not  of 
yourselves;  it  is  the  gift  of  God.  God  alone 
c;in  accomplish  that  to  which  we  exhort  you, 
that  toward  which  you  are  striving;  may  he 
liimself  work  withiti  you  the  willing  and  the 
working,  and  thus  bring  .vour  salvation  to  its 
final  accomplishment.  'The  God  of  peace'  — 
peace  in  the  sense  denoted  in  the  opening  sen- 
tetice  of  the  Efiistle — that  inward  well-V)eing 
wrotight  by  grace  in  the  believer.  Sanctify 
yon  wholly — "  through  and  through."  (Lu- 
ther.)    May  his  sanctifying  grace  do  its  all 


perfect  work  within  each  one  of  you.  This 
word  (oAoTeAijs)  is  not  found  elsewhere  in  the 
New  Testament.  The  idea  of  a  comjilete  work 
of  grace  is  reiterated  in  "entire"  (6Ao(cA»i<ro«)  of 
the  next  clause,  which  particularly  denotes  its 
extent.  "  What  Paul  pniys  for  is  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  his  brethren — their  absolute  and  en-, 
tire  sanctification — a  sanctification  perfect  in 
its  degree,  and  in  that  degree  extending  to 
every  part  of  their  nature.  For  the  sake 
of  giving  prominence  to  these  ideas  of  com- 
pleteness and  universality  he  selects  words 
of  rare  occurrence  and  studied  etnphasis." 
(Lillie. )  Your  whole  spirit  and  soul  and 
body  be  preserved.  'Spirit  and  soul'  are 
both  employed  in  Scripture  as  names  of  the 
immaterial  part  of  man  ;  'spirit'  designates  its 
higher,  particularly  its  rational  and  moral, 
activities  ;  'soul '  designates  it  as  a  vital  force, 
possessed  of  organic  mental  activities,  espe-t 
cially  faculties  of  perception  and  feeling.  The 
former,  however,  is  often  used,  both  in  the 
New  Testament  and  the  Old  Testament  (Sep- 
tuagint)  as  a  synonym  of  'soul';  in  other 
words,  to  denote  the  principle  of  life.  Com- 
pare James  2  :  26,  "As  the  body  apart  from 
the  spirit  is  dead'";  Luke  8:5-5,  "And  her 
spirit  returned."  Many  commentators  hold 
that  the  present  passage  teaches  the  trichotomy 
of  human  nature;  in  other  words,  that  there 
are  two  elements  which  unite  to  compose 
man's  immat(>rial  nature.  So  Ellicott:  "  Dis- 
tinct eniinciati<in  of  the  three  component  parts 
of  the  nature  of  man  :  the  pncuma  [spirit],  the 
highcrofthe  two  united  immaterial  parts;  .  .  . 
the  ;).sycAe  [soul],  .  .  .  the  sphere  of  the  will 
and  the  affections  and  the  true  centre  of  the 
personality."  Liinemann  :  "  The  totality  of 
tnan  is  here  divided  into  three  i)arts."  But 
this  is  to  require  the  apostle  to  teach  psj-chol- 
ogy,  or  at  least  to  be  technically  accurate  in 
his  language.  The  philu.s()i)hic  language  of 
his  time,  it  is  generally  lulmittod,  recognized 
the  pneitmn  and  t]u'  p.ij/che  as  distinct  essences. 
Such  also  has  been  the  prevailing  opinion  of 
non-tiiaterialistic  jihilosophers.  both  ancient 
and  modern;    namely,   "that  the  subject  of 


70 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  V. 


24  Faithful  is  he  that  callelh  you,  who  also  will  do  it. 

20  Brethren,  pray  tor  us. 

26  Greet  all  the  brethren  with  a  holy  kiss. 


24  Jesus  Christ.    Faithful  is  he  who  calleth  you,  who 
will  also  do  it. 

25  Brethren,  pray  for  us.  1 

26  Salute  all  ihe  brethren  with  a  holy  kiss.    I  adjure 


1  Some  aQcient  authorities  add  also. 


CKiisfious  activity  is  an  agent  or  essence  dis- 
tinct from  the  principle  ot'life.''  (See  Porter, 
"  Human  Intellect,"  pp.  36-40.)  The  question 
of  its  correctness  is  purely  a  scientific  one. 
The  use  by  Scripture  writers  of  the  terms  cur- 
rent in  their  time  does  not  vouch  for  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  psychology  upon  which  they 
are  based,  even  granting  that  they  adopted 
that  psychology.  But  it  is  far  from  clear  that 
they  either  adopted  or  taught  it.  It  certainly 
remains  yet  to  be  shown  that  the  Scripture  use 
of  pneuma  requires  us  to  think  of  it  as  an 
entity  distinct  from  soul,  or  as  bestowed  upon 
the  regenerate  alone.  As  to  the  present  atti- 
tude of  psychological  science  upon  the  ques- 
tion, see  President  Porter,  as  cited  above.  He 
maintains  that  the  phenomena  of  vital  force 
and  of  spiritual  activity  are  to  be  referred 
to  one  and  the  same  immaterial  substance. 
'  Whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body  be  preserved.' 
See  note  above  on  'wholly.'  The  noun 
(oAoKATjpi'a)  corresponding  to  the  adjective  '  en- 
tire' is  found  in  Acts  3  :  16:  "Faith  ...  has 
given  him  this  perfect  soundness  in  the  pres- 
ence of  you  all."  It  will  illustrate  the  sense 
here  if  we  render:  "May  your  spirit  and 
Boul  and  body  be  preserved  in  perfect  sound- 
ness." 'Be  preserved';  this  is  the  word  ren- 
dered "keep"  in  our  Saviour's  prayer  re- 
corded John  17:  "  Keep  them  in  thy  name"; 
"keep  them  from  the'  evil."  Blameless 
unto  (or,  loithout  blnme  at)  the  coming  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  See  notes  on  3  :  13. 
24.  Faithful  is  he  that  calleth  you.  God 
will  keep  his  word. 

"  Firm  as  his  throne  his  promise  stands." 

1  Cor.  1:9,"  God  is  faithful,  through  whom  ye 
were  called  into  the  fellowship  of  his  Son 
Jesus  Chri.st  our  Lord."  Phil.  1:6,  "He 
which  began  a  good  work  in  you  will  perfect 
it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."  Ps.  138  :  8, 
'"The  Lord  will  perfect  that  which  concerneth 
me."  The  faithfulness  of  God  is  the  chief 
theme  of  the  eighty-ninth  Psalm.  Who  also 
will  do  it— or,  as  we  might  render,  "and  he 
will  perform  it,  too,"  the  added  particle  lend- 
ing  a   certain   emphasis.      The   verb   in   the 


original  is  without  an  object,  which  is,  how- 
ever, easil J' supplied  from  the  context  ('it') ; 
namely,  that  which  has  been  invoked  in  the 
preceding  sentence. 

25.  Brethren,  pray  for  us — 'us' — him- 
self and  his  companions  in  apostolic  labor, 
particularly  those  named  in  the  opening  salu- 
tation. What  they  should  ask  in  his  behalf  is 
more  fully  stated  in  3:1,  2  of  the  Second 
Epistle:  "That  the  word  of  the  Lord  may 
run  and  be  glorified,  .  .  .  and  that  we  may  be 
delivered  from  unreasonable  and  evil  men." 
Compare  Eph.  6  :  19;  and  in  2  Cor.  1  :  8-11, 
his  statement  of  his  need  with  a  reference  to 
help  afforded  him  through  the  intercessory 
prayer  of  his  brethren  :  "  Ye  also  helping  to- 
gether on  our  behalf  by  your  supplication." 

26.  Greet  all  the  brethren  with  a  holy 
kiss.  "Because,"  says  Chrysostom,  "being 
absent,  he  could  not  greet  them  with  this  kiss, 
he  greets  them  through  others,  as  when  we 
say,  '  Kiss  him  for  me.'  "  It  need  scarcely  bo 
explained  that  there  is  here  no  introduction 
of  a  distinctively  Christian  auiioxn.  The  kiss 
upon  the  cheek  was  the  customary  polite 
salutation,  a  token  of  friendly  v.'elcome 
among  the  Orientals,  particularly  among  the 
Jews.  Christ  rebuked  the  Pharisee  in  whose 
house  he  dined  (Luke  7: 45)  for  having  withheld 
it:  "Thougavest  me  no  kiss."  See  further 
upon  the  custom.  Article,  "Kiss"  in  Smith's 
"  Dictionary  of  the  Bible."  Christians,  how- 
ever, were  not  to  greet  one  another  thus 
as  a  mere  form;  it  was  to  be  among  them  a 
real  token  of  Christian  love.  Thus  the  ordi- 
nary kiss  of  salutation  would  no  longer  be  one 
of  those  "greetings  where  no  kindness  is," 
but  a  '  holy  kiss ' — hallowed  to  the  noblest  use. 
'  Greet  a/Z'  is  perhtips  best  taken  as  equiva- 
lent to  'greet  one  another'  in  Paul's  mes- 
sages elsewhere.  See  Rom.  6:16.  "Greet  ye 
one  another  with  a  holy  kiss."  (icor.  16:20; 
2 Cor.  13:12).  It  is  thus  addressed  to  all  mem- 
bers of  the  church.  Many  expositors,  as 
Liinemann,  Alford,  Ellicott,  understand  this 
request  and  that  in  the  next  verso  to  be  ad- 
dressed to  </ie  elders.  But  this  seems  an  un- 
necessary  refinement.      Of   the   messages  in 


Ch.  v.] 


I.  THESSALONIANS. 


71 


27  I  charge  you  by  the  Lord,  that  this  epistle  be  read 
unto  all  the  holy  brethren. 

28  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you. 
Amen. 


27  you  by  the  Lord  that  this  epistle  be  read  unto  all 
I  he  '  brethren. 

28  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you. 


1  Man;  aooittot  authorities  losert  holy. 


such  a  letter  each  member  will  appropriate 
his  own  part,  and  "each  his  own  order." 
The  elders  would  naturally  be  expected  to  re- 
ceive the  letter  first,  and  upon  them  first 
would  devolve  the  duty  of  carrying  its  re- 
quirements into  effect,  particularly  that  named 
in  the  following  verse. 

27.  I  charge  you  by  the  Lord,  etc,  "Why 
this  solemn  injunction,  which  the  apostle  does 
not  repeat  in  any  subsequent  epistle?  "  Be- 
cause of  his  love"  (Chrysostom)  is  too  general 
a  reason.  That  he  had  some  "distrust  of  the 
rulers  of  the  church,"  there  is  nothing  what- 
ever to  prove.  With  Ellicott  we  may  "per- 
haps fall  back  on  the  reason  hinted  by  Theo- 
doret  and  expanded  by  recent  expositors — that 
a  deep  sense  of  the  great  spiritual  importance 
of  this  Epistle,  not  merely  to  those  who  were 
anxious  about  [them  that  were  fallen  asleep], 
but  to  all  without  exception,  suggested  the  un- 
usual adjuration."  Lillie  also  suggests  perti- 
nently :  "It  was  well,  moreover,  that  the  com- 
mon right  of  all  the  holy  brethreri  to  the 
possession  of  the  apostolic  writings  should  be 
thus  explicitly  endorsed  on  the  very  first  of 
the  canonical  [Pauline]  epistles." 

28.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
be  with  you.  Paul's  farewell  benediction  in 
every  epistle — the  form,  however,  varying. 
To  Timothy  it  is  simply,  "Grace  be  with 
you."     In  2  Corinthians  we  have  the  apostolic 


benediction  in  its  full  form.  In  one  instance, 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  he  appends  addi- 
tional.salutations  and  a  doxology.  It  seems 
to  have  been  his  custom  to  write  it  with  his 
own  hand.     See  2  Thess.  3  :  17. 

A  discriminating  exegesis  cannot  dismiss  this 
apostolic  formula  as  a  mere  formula — as  the 
mere  rhetorical  and  official  finis  to  Paul's 
communications.  That  upon  the  earliest  occa- 
sion of  its  public  utterance  to  some  company 
of  believers,  as  also  here  in  his  first  extant 
letter,  it  sprang  from  his  heart's  full  abound- 
ing love,  we  cannot  doubt.  It  expresses  the 
utmost  of  his  heart's  desire  for  "all  them  that 
love  our  Lord  Jesus"  (Eph.  6  :  24),  and  accord- 
ingly he  begins  and  ends  his  letters  with 
"Grace!  " 

"  Grace  all  the  work  shall  crown 
Through  everlasting  days." 

Exulting  in  "the  dispensation  of  the  grace  of 
God  that  had  been  given"  him,  in  "the 
riches",  "the  glory"  of  that  "grace  of  the 
one  man  Jesus  Christ"  which  was  now 
abounding  exceedingly  to  the  church — that 
grace  which  had  already  begun  to  "reign 
through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord" — all  his 
heart  goes  forth  in  this  largess  of  benediction, 
which  sums  up  in  itself  all  that  is  best  and 
highest  in  human  hope  and  aspiration. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  SECOND  EPISTLE  TO 
THE  THESSALONIANS. 


Much  that  has  been  said  in  the  Introduction  to  the  First  Epistle  applies  also  to  this. 
.The  latter,  indeed,  is  for  the  most  part  a  sequel  and  supplement  to  the  First,  dealing  with 
the  same  general  topics,  and  suggested  by  the  same  circumstances.  The  church  was  still 
exposed  to  persecution,  its  heart  throbbing  with  high  hope,  but  restless  under  delay,  and 
still  requiring  admonition  to  order,  industry,  and  patient  faith. 

It  is  generally  believed  to  have  been  written  within  a  few  months  after  the  First, 
probably  in  the  year  fifty-three.  It  is  evidently  from  Corinth,  for  both  Silas  and  Timothy 
were  still  with  Paul ;  after  the  residence  in  Corinth,  which  terminated  in  the  spring  of 
fifty-four,  Silas  appears  to  have  been  no  longer  a  companion  of  the  apostle.  Moreover, 
the  letter  follows  so  closely  the  lines  of  thought  marked  out  in  the  earlier  one  as  obviously 
to  suggest  the  hypothesis  of  the  shortest  possible  interval  between  the  two.  One  is  con- 
scious of  a  slightly  heightened  tone  of  authority  pervading  this  Epistle:  the  duty  of  the 
church  to  maintain  its  own  discipline  in  a  given  case  is  strongly  enforced. 

The  main  object  is  evidently  to  communicate  further  instruction  concerning  the  Ad- 
vent, and  especially  to  correct  misapprehension  or  perversion  of  what  the  writer  had  pre- 
viously stated,  at  the  same  time  to  counteract  the  influence  of  misleading  teachers  con- 
cerning the  doctrine.  The  church  was  now  making  unwarrantable  calculations  as  to  the 
date  of  the  Parousia,  and  some  were  claiming  that  "the  Day"  had  already  come.  Tlie 
present  letter  declares  that  to  be  an  en-or.  Two  events  still  in  the  future  were  to  precede 
it;  namely,  the  Apostasy,  and  the  Revelation  of  the  Man  of  Sin;  to  remind  them  anew 
of  this  fact  is  the  main  object  of  the  letter. 

The  second  chapter  contains  the  Pauline  apocalypse.  It  is  the  only  description 
found  in  all  the  writings  of  Paul  of  that  impersonated  form  of  evil  elsewhere  called  the 
Antichrist.  It  is  a  parallel  picture,  though  written  many  years  earlier  and  from  a  strik- 
ingly different  environment,  to  that  of  the  "False  Prophet,"  and  to  that  of  "the  Beast 
coming  up  out  of  the  earth,"  depicted  by  John  in  Revelation.  Gazing  down  the  vista  of 
human  history,  the  apostle  beholds,  as  it  were,  "the  Last  Man"  in  the  long  line  of  earth's 
incarnations  of  sin,  and  in  a  few  broken,  vivid  sentences  that  rise  into  prophetic  rapture 
declares  his  coming  doom.  Obscure  in  its  immediate  historical  reference,  an  enigma  to 
interpreters  in  every  age,  it  is  nevertheless  replete  with  moral  suggestion,  and  is  a  frag, 
ment  of  priceless  importance  for  the  complete  exposition  of  the  Pauline  doctrine  of  sin. 

A  few  modern  critics,  beginning  with  C.  Schmidt  in  1801,  have  doubted  or  attacked 
the  genuineness  of  the  letter.  The  reader  may  find  the  leading  objections  stated  and  an- 
swered in  Lunemann,  more  ftilly  in  Pelt.  Kern  (1839)  has  woven  what  is  perhaps  the 
most  acute  and  elaborate  argument  to  prove  the  Epistle  spurious  ;  he  holds  that  it  was 
written  between  A.  D.  68  and  70  (that  is,  after  the  apostle's  death)  by  a  disciple  of  Paul. 

73 


74   INTRODUCTION  TO  SECOND  EPISTLE  TO  THESSALONIANS. 

More  recentl}'  it  is  the  integrity,  rather  than  the  genuineness  of  tlie  Epistle  as  a  whole, 
that  has  been  questioned.  The  second  chapter  is  held  to  be  of  later  date  than  the  rest, 
and  not  to  have  been  written  in  the  lifetime  of  Paul.  One  argument  against  the  genuineness 
of  this  chapter,  or  of  the  whole  Epistle,  is  founded  on  the  assumption  that  Nero  is  the 
person  denoted  by  the  Man  of  Sin — it  being  also  assumed  that  neither  Paul  nor  any  other 
New  Testament  writer  was  inspired  to  predict  future  events.  Schiirer  (in  the  "Encyclopae- 
dia Britannica  ")  considers  the  question  still  an  open  one.  Its  discussion  involves  funda- 
mental principles  of  apologetics  and  interpretation,  and  does  not  fall  within  the  scope  of 
the  present  Introduction.  To  the  present  writer  the  arguments  of  recent  criticism  against 
the  genuineness  of  the  Second  Epistle  seem  quite  as  futile  as  those  brought  against  the  First. 

It  falls  naturally  into  three  divisions,  corresponding  to  the  three  chapters  : 

Chapter  1,  Introductory  topics. 

"      2,  Christ's  Coming,  and  the  Man  of  Sin. 
"      3,  Closing  Exhortations,  and  Benediction. 


THE  SECOND  EPISTLE  TO  THE  THESSALONIANS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PAUL,  and  Silvanus,  and  Timotheus,  unto  the  church 
of  the  Thcssalouiuns  iu  God  our  I'alher  and  tlie 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

2  (Jrace  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  Uod  our  Father 
and  the  l^ord  Jesus  (  hrist. 

3  We  are  bound  to  thank  God  always  tor  you,  breth- 
ren, as  it  is  uieel,  because  that  your  faith  gVoweth  ex- 
ceedingly, and  the  charily  of  every  oae  of  you  alt 
toward  each  other  aboundeth ; 


1  Paul,  and  Silvanus,  and  Timothy,  unto  the  church 
of  the   Thessalonians  in  God   our  J-'ather  and   the 

2  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  (Jrace  to  you  and  peace  from 
God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  (  hrisl. 

3  We  are  bound  to  give  thanks  to  (iod  alway  for 
you,  brethren,  even  as  it  is  meet,  for  that  your  faith 
groweth  exceedingly,  and  the  love  of  each  one  of 


Ch.  1:1)2.  Address  and  Salutation. — See 
the  opening  of  the  First  Epistle.  The  address 
and  salutation  are  here,  word  for  word  the 
the  same,  with  the  addition,  which  is  found 
also  in  most  of  the  subsequent  epistles— from 
God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  'Our  Father.'  In  Revised  Version, 
the  Father.  See  tiie  preceding  verse;  also  the 
salutation  in  First  and  in  Second  Corinthians. 
'Father,'  denoting  his  relation  to  his  people, 
not  specifically  the  Father  as  distinguished 
from  the  Son.  Here,  as  throughout  the  New 
Testament,  all  the  blessings  of  salvation  are 
referred  to  this  one  common  personal  source — 
God  and  Christ.  There  is  need  in  our  age, 
more  than  ever,  of  giving  articulate  expression 
to  this  truth ;  an  age  that  with  materialism 
denies  God,  or  else  with  agnosticism  denies 
the  possibility  of  knowing  him  as  Father  and 
Lord. 

3-12.  Course  of  Thought— Wq  behold  the 
remarkable  growth  of  your  faith  and  love 
with  unceasing  gratitude.  Especially  your 
constancy  and  faith  amid  per-i^ecutioM — this 
we  exultantly  proclaim  among  the  churches. 
In  the  midst  of  this  adversity,  remember,  that 
the  present  suffer!  ng  is  a  pledge  of  future  glory. 
The  day  of  our  Lord's  appearing  will  be  a  day 
of  requital.  Then  to  3'ou  shall  be  relettse ;  but 
to  your  enemies  the  very  flashing  forth  of  his 
glory  will  be  the  beginning  of  an  eternal  de- 
struction. With  eyes  fixed  upon  this  <!onsum- 
mation,  we  pray  continually  that  God  will 
complete  his  work  in  your  souls,  that  they 
may  at  ]a.st  be  seen  transfigured  into  the 
divine  excellence  of  our  Lord  Jesus — monu- 
ments to  the  universe  of  his  saving  grace. 

We  are  bound  to  thank  God— 'are 
bound '  —  the      word     rendered     elsewhere, 


"ought."  Paul  recognizes  fresh  and  deep- 
ening obligation  to  be  grateful.  The  extraor- 
dinary work  of  divine  grace  in  the  hearts  of 
these  converts  calls  for  a  corresponding  tte- 
knowledgment.  It  is  certain  that  the  Christian 
who  attentively  regards  God's  gifts  and  ways, 
will  find  himself  increasingly  impelled  to 
thanksgiving;  it  is  equally  certain,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  the  more  this  impulse  is  felt 
and  obeyed,  the  more  it  will  lead  the  hetirt  to 
discern  occasions  for  it.  The  spirit  and  the 
expression  of  gratitude  should  be  constant. 
Notice  the  'alvvtiys'  and  compare  note  on  1 
The-ss.  5  :  18.  As  it  is  meet.  This  clause  of 
correspondence  is  not  wholly  pleonastic,  re- 
peating the  idea  of  obligation  already  con- 
veyed. It  generalizes  and  enforces  the  fact  that 
there  is  a  binding  obligation  to  such  gratitude; 
as  if  to  say  :  Surely  that  of  which  I  have  to 
speak  is  a  fitting  occasion  for  constant  thanks- 
giving. The  clause  qualifies  whtit  precedes; 
the  next  clause  introduced  by  'because  that' 
(better  rendered  simply  "that")  belongs  to 
the  phrase  'thank  God,'  and  states  the  occa- 
sion or  rnnterds  of  the  thanksgiving.  That 
your  faith  groweth  exceedingly — indicat- 
ing great  .spiritual  prosperity.  Their  faith 
had  increased  above  measure.  Vital  appro- 
priation of  Christian  truth — nay,  of  Chri.st^ 
himself — had  gone  on  at  a  rapid  rate  during 
the  few  months  that  had  elapsed  since  the  last 
letter.  They  had  recently  had  need  to  urge 
anew  the  request  of  the  disciples  to  our  Lord, 
"  increase  our  faith  "  (Luke  17: 5),  for  persecution 
had  broken  out  afresh.  The  prayer  had  been 
answered.  Their  Christian  life  was  truly  one 
"from  faith  to  faith,"  constantly  budding  and 
branching  forth  into  fresh  beauty  and  vigor. 
No  wonder  that  the  sight  fills  the  apostle's 

75 


76 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


4  So  that  we  oiirsflves  glory  in  you  in  the  churches 
of  (jod,  for  your  patience  and  faitli  in  all  your  perse- 
cutions and  tribulations  that  ye  endure; 

5  Which  is  a  manliest  token  of  the  righteous  judg- 
ment of  God,  that  ye  may  be  counted  worthy  of  the 
kingdom  of  (iod,  for  which  ye  also  sutfer: 


4  you  all  toward  one  another  aboundeth  ;  so  that  we 
ourselves  glory  in  you  in  the  churches  of  God  I'ur 
your  1  patience  and  faitii   in  all   your  persecutions 

5  and  in  the  afflictions  which  ye  endure:  which  ix  a 
manifest  token  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God; 
to  the  end  that  ye  may  be  counted  worthy  of  the 


1  Or,  sted/astness. 


soul  with  exultant  joj' !  By  what  tests  he 
meiisured  their  progress,  or  what  were  the 
specific  indications  of  it,  we  may  gather  from 
what  follows:  he  mentions  particularly  their 
bearing  amid  affliction  and  persecution.  And 
the  charity  (love)  of  every  one  of  you 
all  .  .  .  aboundeth.  See  note  on  1  Thess. 
3  :  12  and  4  :  9,  10.  Adversity  and  persecution 
were  strengtiiening  love  as  well  as  faith  in  the 
young  church.  Notwithstanding  the  ignorance 
inevitable  among  converts  just  gathered  outof 
Paganism,  and  their  necessarily  low  moral 
standard,  there  had  been  an  extraordinary 
spiritual  growth.  The  testimony  is  emphatic; 
every  individual  member  was  a  radiating 
centre  for  a  love  that  extended  itself  to  each 
and  all  throughout  the  church.  On  the  Greek 
words  employed  by  Paul  to  describe  the  growth 
of  the  two  graces  respectively  ( '  faith,  growet/i,' 

vnepavidvei.    '  love    aboundcth,    nKeovdiei),    EUicott 

suggestively  remarks  that  the  former  conveys 
more  distinctly  the  idea  of  organic  evolution 
and  growth  (compare  Matt.  17:  20;  Luke  17:  6), 
while  the  latter  expresses  in  a  more  general 
way  the  idea  of  spiritual  enlargement — of 
expanding  movement  toward  others. 

4.  So  that  we  ourselves,  even  we  who 
have  taught  you — who  have  required  and  ex- 
pected so  niucii  from  you — glory  in  you  : 
"Ye  are  our  glory  and  our  joy,"  he  says  in 
1  Thess.  2  :  20— in  the  churches  of  God— 
those  in  Corinth  and  the  neighborhood — "the 
regions  of  Achaia,"  2  Cor.  11  :  10;  possibly 
also  in  messages  sent  to  more  distant  churches; 
for  your  patience  and  faith.  On  'patience' 
•see  note  1  Thess.  1  :  3.  'Patience'  (or  endur- 
ance, constancy)  and  'faith'  are  coupled  else- 
wliere;  "that  ye  be  not  sluggish,  but  imitators 
of  them  who  through  faith  and  patience  in- 
herit   the    promises."       (Heb.6:12;    Jnme9l:3;    Rev 

13 :  10.)  The  connection  of  cause  and  effect  be- 
tween the  two  is  illustrated  in  Heb.  11  :  27  by 
the  example  of  Moses:  "for  he  endured  as 
seeing  him  who  is  invisible."  In  all  your 
persecutions  and  tribulations  (afflictions) 
that  ye  endure.     We  see  here  what  specific 


form  and  manifestation  of  faith  Paul  had  in 
mind  in  the  preceding  verse.  '  Ye  endure,'  or, 
are  enduring.  The  term  shows  that  the  Thes- 
salonians  were  now  again  beset  by  persecution. 
From  1  Thess.  2  :  14  it  would  appear  that  at 
the  time  of  that  writing  there  was  a  cessation. 
Nor  was  persecution  the  only  trial  of  their 
faith;  other  adversities  accompanied  it:  for 
instance,  extreme  poverty,  with  all  its  attend- 
ant ills.  Some  define  'faith'  here  as  simply 
fidelity  (as  in  Titus  2  ;  10),  but  incorrectly. 
The  idea  of  fidelity  is  rather  to  be  sought  in 
the  preceding  term — 'patience.' 

5.  A  manifest  token — in  apposition  ( 'which 
is'  of  the  Common  and  Revised  Versions 
scarcely  needs  to  be  inserted)  with  the  pre- 
ceding— 'your  patience  and  faith  in  all  your 
persecutions,'  "etc.  That  is,  the  fact  of  such 
constancy  and  faith  on  your  part  is  a  predictive 
proof  of  what  the  judgment  of  God  con- 
cerning you  is  to  be.  Compare  the  similar 
thought  in  Phil.  1  :  28,  where  a  cognate  and 
synonymous  Greek  word  is  rendered  "evident 
token."  The  righteous  judgment  of  God — 
when  Christshall  judge  the  world  at  his  Second 
Coming.  According  to  some  it  refers,  not  to 
the  future  judgment,  but  to  God's  just  deal- 
ing with  his  people  now,  in  that  he  pre- 
pares them,  by  being  thus  subjected  to  suf- 
eri:ig,  for  future  glory ;  so  Olshausen  and 
Riggenbach.  But  the  proper  interpretation 
of  the  following  verses  points  clearly  to  the 
future  judgment.  Paul's  teaching  here,  as 
elsewhere,  on  the  relation  between  present 
suffering  for  Christ  and  the  future  reward  in 
his  kingdom  is  but  the  echo  of  Christ's  lan- 
guage on  the  same  theme.  See  Matt.  5  :  10, 
Revised  Version,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  have 
been  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake,  for 
theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  "  ;  also  Phil. 
1  :  28;  1  Peter 4:  13.  Such  affliction  is  viewed 
not  only  as  a  special  privilege  granted  to  the 
believer,  but  as  an  unmistakable  token  of  his 
acceptance  with  God — a  token  that  he  is  to 
siiare  Christ's  exaltation  and  glory  at  his 
coming.    That  ye  may  be  counted  worthy. 


Ch.  L] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


77 


6  Seeing  it  is  a  righteims  thing  with  God  to  lecoiu- 
pense  tribulation  to  ihuiu  that  trouble  you  ; 

7  And  to  you  wlio  are  troubled  rest  with  us,  when 
the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his 
mighty  angels, 


6  kingdom  of  God,  for  which  ye  also  suffer:  if  so  be 
th.it  it  is  a  righteous  thing  with  (jod  to  rucompense 

7  altlictiiin   to  tuem  that  atliict  you,  and  to  yon  that 
are  atUieted  rest  with  us,  at  the  revelation  of  the 


'To  the  end'  denotes  purpose,  which  is  prob- 
ably not  the  intention  of  the  prepositional 
phnise  (eisTo)  in  the  original.  Abetter  ren- 
dering of  the  verse  would  be  :  a  manifest  token 
of  the  7'ig/tteous  judgment  of  God.  counting  you 
worthy  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  for  which  ye 
are  also  suffering.  The  clause  does  not  denote 
the  purpose  of  the  judgment,  but  describes 
what  the  judgment  is,  by  showing  its  tendency 
and  result.  God's  justice  already  accounts 
you  worthy  of  his  Kingdom,  and  will  bestow 
it  upon  you.  Noyes  translates — "by  which 
ye  will  be  counted  worthy,"  etc.  For  the 
force  of  the  prepositional  phrase  in  this  and 
some  similar  passages,  see  Buttmann's  Gram- 
mar, ?  140, 10  (4).  Similarly  the  comtnentaries 
of  Liinemann,  Elliott,  Eadie.  The  meaning 
given  in  the  Revision  is  that  of  the  Common 
Version,  hardly  improved,  either  in  wording 
or  punctuation.  It  is  favored  by  Alford  and 
others. 

Does  the  Bible,  then,  teach  us  that  the 
patient  endurance  of  suffering  constitutes  a 
title  to  the  rewards  of  the  heavenly  Kingdom? 
It  is  to  be  remembered,  in  the  first  place,  that 
we  have  here  to  do  with  suffer] ngs/o?-  Christ, 
such  as  the  yh^v?-qc\\\\ov\  for  righteousness'  sake 
of  which  our  Lord  speaks.  Such  suffering  is 
endured  by  those  only  who  have  believed  in 
him  as  their  Saviour.  It  is  thus  not  any  work 
of  their  own,  but /n'.s  redemption  that  has  saved 
them.  At  the  same  time  the  Scriptures  do 
teach  that  this  life  is  all  the  way  to  its  end  a 
probation;  that  it  is  followed  by  requital,  good 
to  those  who  have  done  good,  evil  to  those  who 
have  done  evil.  Thus  the  glories  of  the  hea- 
venly kingdom  are  held  up  as  a  reward  for 
faithful  endurance.  So  Christ  "for  the  joy 
that  was  set  before  him  endured  the  cross." 
See  2  Tim.  2  :  12,  "If  we  endure,  we  shall 
also  reign  with  him";  Matt.  21  :  13,  "He 
that  endureth  to  the  end,  the  same  shall  be 
saved."  The  next  verse  brings  out  still  more 
distinctly  the  thought  that  the  divine  justice 
implies  recompense,  suitable  requital,  whether 
to  ill-doers  or  to  well-doers. 

6-10.  In  the  remaining  verses  of  the  sen- 
tence  Paul   derives    encouragement   for    his 


readers  from  the  great  fact  of  the  justice  of 
God — a  justice  to  be  displayed  in  his  tiwards 
at  the  fintil  judgment. 

6.  Seeing  (or,  as  in  the  Kcvised  Version, 
if  so  be  that)  it  is  a  righteous  thing  with 
CJod — in  the  form  of  a  condition  asserts  a  fact. 
For  another  such  'if,'  see  Rom.  3  :  30.  This 
form  of  stating  a  premise  throws  no  doubt 
upon  it,  but  renders  it  the  more  impressive  by 
keeping  the  assertion  in  reserve.  '  Righteous' 
is  repeated  from  ver.  5,  and  closely  connects 
the  two  thoughts.  The  pious  sufl'erers  of  all 
ages  have  stayed  their  souls  upon  the  truth  of 
an  eternally  righteous  God.  See  Ps.  7  :  9-11; 
"  Oh  let  the  wickedness  of  the  wicked  come  to 
an  end,  but  establish  tliou  the  righteous.  .  .  . 
God  is  a  righteous  judge,  yea,  a  God  that  httth 
indignation  ever^'  day."  So  Paul  in  this  time 
of  distress  in  the  Thessalonian  Church  points 
to  the  throne  of  God  and  the  certain  fact  of  a 
final  retribution.  To  recompense  tribula- 
tion {or  affliction),  etc.  This  is  not  the  phase 
of  the  law  of  retribution  which  Paul  makes 
most  prominent;  it  seems  mainly  intended  to 
introduce  the  antithesis  in  the  next  verse — a 
fact  full  of  encouragement. 

7.  To  you  that  are  troubled  (afflicted) 
rest.  '  Rest,  release  or  deliverance  from  pres- 
ent aflHictions.  This  'rest'  is  a  recompense, 
something  due  by  divine  promise  and  in  the 
right  order  of  things,  as  is  the  '  affliction  '  about 
to  be  allotted  to  their  persecutors.  >Vith  us, 
who  write  to  you  ;  it^eare  to  bo  with  Christ  and 
share  his  glory  ;  so  are  yon.  When  the  Lord 
Jesus  shall  be  revealed — literally,  at  the 
revelation,  etc.  The  time  of  the  final  itward — 
that  is,  when  the  Lord  shall  come  in  visible  form 
from  the  heavens.  '■Revelation,''  tis  in  1  Cor. 
1  :  7,  is  one  of  the  New  Testament  terms  used 
to  designate  Christ's  Second  Coming.  He  is  to 
come  from  heaven  (see  also  1  Thess.  4  :  10) 
Avith  his  mighty  angels,  or,  angels  of  his 
poioer — the  angels  who  are  the  ministers  of 
his  power,  to  manifest  it  and  to  be  its  agents 
in  the  universe— in  flaming  fire — tiie  visible 
manifestation  of  his  divine  glorj".  Such  in  the 
Old  Testiiment  also  was  the  mode  of  God's 
appearances.     "And  the  Angel  of  the   Lord 


78 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


8  In  flaming  fire  taking  vengeance  on  them  that 
know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  C'hri.st: 

y  Who  shall  lie  punished  with  everlasting  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of 
his  power: 


8  Lord  Jesus  from  heaven  with  the  angels  of  his 
power  in  flaming  tire,  rendering  vengeance  to  them 
that  know  not  (jod,  and  to  them  that  obey  not  the 

9  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus:  who  shall  sutTer  punish- 
ment, even  eternal  destruction  from  the  face  of  the 


appeartid  to  him  in  aflame  of  fire  out  of  the 
midst  of  a  bush."  (Exod.3:2.)  "  And  Mount 
Sinai  was  altogether  on  a  smoke,  because  the 
Lord  descended  upon  it  in  fire.''  (Exod.  i9:  is.) 
Compare  Rev.  19:  12,  where  the  "King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords,"  he  who  is  called  the 
"  Word  of  God,"  is  described.  "And  his  eyes 
are  aflame  of  fire,  and  upon  his  head  are  many 
diadems."  The  verse-division  here  tends  to 
obscure  the  connection  ;  this  phrase  properly 
belongs  to  what  precedes,  not  to  the  words  fol- 
lowing, and  should  be  made  part  of  ver.  7. 

8.  Taking  vengeance  on  (literally,  ren- 
dering vengeance  to)  them  that  know  not 
God.  "Vengeance  belongeth  unto  me." 
(Rnm.  12: 19  aud  Heb.  10;  30.)  The  citation  is  from 
Deut.  32  :  35,  "  tome  belongeth  vengeance  and 
recompense."  The  objects  of  the  divine  ven- 
geance are  mentioned  in  two  separate  classes— 
to  them  that  know  not  God,  and  {to  them) 
that  obey  not  the  gospel.  The  former  are 
the  Gentiles.  See  Note  on  1  Thess.  4  :  5, 
"The  Gentiles  which  know  not  God";  also 
Gal.  4:8;  the  guilt  of  such  ignorance  Paul 
establishes  in  Rom.  1  :  18,  seq.  The  latter  are 
the  Jews.  See  Rom.  10  :  16  (Common  Ver- 
sion), "But  they  have  not  all  obeyed  the 
gospel"  ;  also  ver.  21  of  the  same  chapter.  To 
the  Jewish  mind  every  revelation  of  God  pre- 
sented itself  prominently  as  a  manifestation 
of  his  will,  as  something  to  be  obeyed.  Hence 
their  rejection  of  the  gospel  was  emphatically 
&  disobedience.  Tiieir  punishment  is  pictorially 
represented;  both  these  divisions  of  the  great 
army  of  wicked  men  arrayed  against  Christ 
and  his  church  will  then  be  driven  back  with 
overwhelming  disaster  before  the  advancing 
King  and  his  angelic  host. 

9,  10.  These  verses  set  forth  still  more  defi- 
nitely and  vividly  the  contrasts  of  the  great 
day.  The  King  at  his  appearing  will  flash 
forth  upon  his  foes  eternal  ruin,  but  transfigure 
his  friends  into  his  own  glory.  Who  shall  be 
punished.  Both  classes  of  the  wicked  shall 
be  punished.  The  suff'ering  of  a  ]\\si  penalty, 
not  correction  (mere  chiistisement  for  the  pur- 
pose of  discipline  or  reformation)  is  clearly 
the  metuiing  of  the  Greek  phrase  (h^Kr)v  riaovaiv]. 


The  idea  of  God's  punishment  being  reforma- 
tory in  its  design  finds  no  countenance  in  the 
language  by  which  Paul  describes  it.  It  is  a 
recompense  righteously  bestowed;  it  is  &  ven- 
geance (see  the  verses  above)  ascribed  to  God's 
justice.  One  of  the  most  powerful  sermons 
of  Jonathan  Edwards  has  for  its  theme  "The 
Justice  of  God  in  the  Damnation  of  Sinners." 
Everlasting  destruction,  etc.,  in  tipposition 
with  punishment.  The  retribution  inflicted 
upon  them  shall  bean  endless  and  irremediable 
ruin,  consequent  upon  the  glorious,  mighty 
appearing  of  the  Lord.  Let  us  notice  first 
the  descriptive  phraseology  that  follows,  and 
then  (at  the  end  of  ver.  10)  consider  the  proper 
force  of  the  term  'everlasting  destruction.' 
The  sense  in  which  '  destruction '  is  to  be  taken 
depends  in  part  on  the  interpretation  of  the 
next  verse. 

From  the  presence  (face)  of  the  Lord  and 
from  the  glory  of  his  power.  'From'  may 
be  understood  as  causal,  "proceeding  from," 
or  local,  "away  from."  Which  of  these  two  is 
the  meaning  here,  is  mainly  to  be  determined 
from  the  use  of  the  phrase  '  from  the  face  of 
in  Jewish  speech.  It  is  a  frequent  Hebraism, 
and  may  be  taken  in  either  a  causal  or  local 
sense,  according  to  the  verb  or  principal  word 
on  which  it  depends.  In  Isa.  2  :  10  (compare 
ver.  19,  21)  the  verb  "hide"  requires  the  latter. 
In  Jer.  4  :  26  (Septuagint)  both  verbs  "burnt 
with  fire"  and  "utterly  destroyed"  require 
the  former;  so  also  Acts  3  :  19,  "that  so  there 
may  come  seasons  of  refreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord."  In  the  presentver.se 
the  following  considerations  are  decisive  in 
favor  of  the  former. 

(1)  The  causal  force  "proceeding  from" 
furnishes  the  only  proper  complement  to 
"destruction"  (oAeflpoi/)  "ruin,"  this  being  a 
verbal  ntmn  which  does  not  of  itself  suggest 
the  separation  of,  but  rather  an  effect  ivrought 
upon  the  object.  The  entire  context,  indeed, 
suggests  a  representation  of  that  whence  the 
destruction  proceeds,  not  of  that  of  which  it 
consists;  this  is  one  of  the  effects  of  the  Lord's 
manifest  presence.  Precisely  similar  is  the 
setting  forth  of  the  destruction  of  the  Lawless 


Ch.  I.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


79 


10  When   he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  I  10  Lord   and   from   the  glory  of  his   might,  when   he 
and    to  be  admired  in   all  ihein  thai  believe  (because  shall   come   to  be  glorified  in   his  saints,  and  to  be 

our  testimony  among  you  was  believed)  in  that  day.        |        marvelled  at  iu  all  inem  that  believed  (because  our 


One,  a  few  sentences  further  on  (in  ver.  8  of 
the  following  chapter). 

(2)  The  following  co-ordinate  chiuse,  'and 
from  the  glory  of  his  power,'  seems  to  require 
it.  This  describes  not  the  issuing  of  an  edict 
of  banishment  (as  in  Matt.  25  :  41),  but  sets 
forth  pictorially  an  outgt)ing  of  ^jower,  effect- 
ing, as  it  were,  the  instant  overthrow  and  ruin 
of  opposers. 

(3)  This  mode  of  representation  harmonizes 
with  other  descriptions  of  the  effect  of  Jeho- 
vah's face,  look,  or  presence.  See  Ps.  104  :  32. 
"He  looketh  on  the  earth,  and  it  trembleth ;  he 
toucheth  the  hills,  and  they  smoke."  (Hab.  3:6.) 
So  also  Christ's  coming  is  described  in  the  next 
chapter,  2  :  8.  The  latter  passage  furnishes  the 
elue  to  Paul's  conception  here. 

(4)  In  reply  to  Lianemann's  objectipn  that 
on  this  interpretation  ver.  9  contains  (with  the 
exception  of  'everlasting')  only  a  repetition 
of  what  has  already  been  said  in  ver.  7,  8,  it 
may  be  answered,  that  the  instant  and  eternal 
ruin,  on  the  day  of  judgment,  of  all  the  ene- 
mies of  God  and  his  gospel,  is  the  fact  which 
the  writer  is  intent  on  bringing  into  special 
prominence;  hence  its  repetition  in  the  vivid 
language  of  prophecy.  The  manifestation  of 
Christ's  coming  shall  itself  bring  everlasting 
ruin  upon  his  foes.  This  is  the  leading  thought 
and  source  of  encouragement  in  chapters  first 
and  second. 

10.  When  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified 
iu  his  saints — that  is,  when  he  shall  come  from 
heaven  in  order  to  be  'glorified  in  his  saints.' 
His  'saints'  shall  in  that  day  shine  forth  with 
a  glory  that  sliall  glorify  Christ  who  best<jwed 
it,  imparting  new  lustre  and  honor  to  his 
sovereign  name.  Already  upon  earth,  while 
still  sanctified  but  in  part,  Christ's  people  glo- 
rify him.  See  ver.  12  and  John  17  :  10,  "and 
1  am  glorified  in  them."  'To  be  glorified,'  a 
frequent  Old  Testament  expression  (see  Ps. 
89:  7;  Ezek.  28  :  22,  in  Septuagint),  is  also 
employed  to  denote  the  manifestation  of  the 
divine  holiness  in  the  just  punishment  of  ene- 
mies. See  Exod.  14  :  4,  "  And  I  will  be  hon- 
ored upon  [in]  Pharaoh,  and  upon  [in]  all  his 
host."  And  to  be  admired  (tnnrve/fd  at), 
etc.  This  manifested  glory  of  the  saints  will 
elicit  the  wonder  of  all  the  beholding  universe. 


Christ  will  not  only  show  himself  glorious, 
but  wonderful,  by  that  which  he  works  in  his 
people.  To  tliis  i)art  of  the  sentence  (qualifying 
'glorified'  and  'marveled  at')  belong  the 
words  in  that  day,  which  impressively  close 
the  sentence  in  the  significant  manner  of  Clirist 
himself.  Note  the  similarly  emphatic  position 
of  these  words  as  used  by  our  Lord  in  3Iark 
2  :  20 — Because  our  testimony  among  you 
was  believed.  This  parenthetical  addition 
brings  the  whole  thought  closer  to  his  readers 
as  one  of  personal  interest,  including  them, 
as  it  does,  among  the  glorious  and  admired 
company. 

With  reference  now  to  the  phrase  already 
referred  to  :  'Everlasting  destruction  '  (oXeepov 
aiuviov)  is  a  phrase  not  elsewhere  used  by  Paul. 
Its  meaning  in  the  above  sentence  would 
scarcely  require  elucidation  beyond  what  the 
drift  of  the  whole  passage  as  already  ex- 
plained, as  well  as  the  general  teaching  of 
Scripture,  affords,  were  it  not  for  doubts  ca.st 
upon  the  meaning  of  the  words  'everlasting' 
and  'eternal,'  in  current  theological  contro- 
versy. 

It  is  to  be  noted  first  that  the  Greek  word 
does  not  mean  destruction,  in  the  sense  of  the 
extinction  of  being,  but  rather  7'uin.  The  over- 
whelming defeat  of  an  army,  the  devastation 
of  a  land,  is  its  'ruin'  (oAeepot).  So  also  the 
ruin  of  a  man's  hopes,  fortunes,  happiness. 
This  is  classical  and  biblical  usage  alike.  In 
Scripture  language  two  words  (6A«9po?,  diroiA^to), 
and  their  cognates,  are  frequently  used  of 
divine  retribution  ;  thej'  arc  charticteristic  of 
the  New  Testament,  especially  of  the  epistles, 
as  denoting  the  future  and  eternal  doom  of 
unbelievers.  That  annihilation  is  not  meant, 
as  many  have  claimed,  is  shown  at  length  b}- 
Dr.  Hove\'.  See  "State  of  the  Impenitent 
Dead,"  pp.  114-123.  That  the  first  of  these 
words  (oAfSpos)  is  not  to  be  rendered  "separa- 
tion," has  been  shown  above — a  rendering 
only  allowable  by  giving  to  the  preposition 
"from"  {ano)  its  local  sense.  FarrarC'Life 
and  Work  of  St.  Paul,"  chap,  xxx)  renders — 
"aeonian  exclusion,''  namely,  "tin  eternal 
cutting  off  from  the  presence  of  Christ,"  de- 
nj'ing,  however,  that  "eternal"  means  ever- 
lasting, or  endless,  and  vaguely  defining  it  as 


80 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  I. 


11  Wherefore  also  we  pray  always  for  you,  that  our  I  11  testimony  unto  you  was  believed,  in  that  day.    To 
God  would  count  you  worthy  of  this  calling,  and  fulfil  which   end  we  also  pray  always  for  you,  that  our 

all  the  good  pleasure  ot  his  goodness,  and  the  worli  of  God   may  count   you   worlhy  of  your  calling,  and 

faith  with  power:  [        fultil  every  'desire  of  goodness  and  every  work  of 


1  Gr.,  good  plea 


!  0/  goodness. 


"  something  above  and  beyond  time."  On  the 
contrary,  the  Greek  word  {al,iiVio%),  here  as  else- 
where, is  properly  translated  eternal,,  in  the 
sense  of  everlasting,  endless.  "-Ionian"  is 
only  a  poetical  synonym,  borrowed  in  recent 
English  literature  from  the  Greek  ;  it  has  the 
same  signification,  and  no  other.  All  Greek 
lexicographers  are  in  substantial  agreement 
as  to  the  definition.  Liddell  and  Scott,  last- 
ing for  an  aion,  perpetual,  everlasting,  eter- 
nal. Thayer,  "1.  Witho'iit  beginning  or  end, 
that  which  always  has  been  and  always  will 
6c";  "2.  Without  beginiii7ig"  ;  "3.  Without 
end,  never  to  cease,  everlasting.^^  Cremer 
("  Biblico-Theological  Lexicon" )  comprehen- 
sively defines,  ''''Belonging  to  the  aion,  to  titne 
in  its  duration — constant,  abiding,  eternal.''' 
Tiie  reader  of  the  Bible  may  be  assured 
that  tiie  science  of  lexicograpliy  bus  but  one 
deliverance  as  to  the  proper  signification  of 
the  word.^ 

The  word  has  been  already  discussed  in  pre- 
vious volumes  of  this  series  of  Commentaries. 
See  particularly  Dr.  Broadus  on  Matt.  25  :  46. 
One  point  may  be  noted  here.  "  Eternal,"  in 
Paul's  writings  usually,  in  John's  alwaj's,  is 
used  to  describe  the  blessed  and  unending  life 
imparted  by  Christ  to  believers;  here  only 
does  he  apply  it  to  the  future  punishment  of 
tlie  wicked.  There  is  nothing  in  the  context 
to  indicate  a  special  or  unusual  sense.  1  Cor. 
6:9,  10  is  distinctly  against  the  view  that  a 
limited  period  of  punishment  was  ever  in  his 
thought:  "Or  know  ye  not  that  the  unright- 
eous shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God? 
Be  not  deceived  ;  neither  fornicators  nor  idol- 
ators  .  .  .  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God." 
The  general  tenor  of  his  teaching,  moreover, 
assumes  tliat  those  whom  he  is  seeking  to  win 
to  Christ  will  be  forever  lost  without  him 
(compare  Rom.  2  :  7-9),  a  conviction  by  no 
means  coldly  held  as  a  matter  of  relentless 
logic,  but  inwrought  into  the  ver^'  fibre  of  a 


heart  that  throbbed,  as  have  the  hearts  of 
few,  with  the  unutterable  love  of  Christ. 

11,  13.  Wherefore — to  which  end — in  our 
prayers  we  have  ever  this  end  in  view,  that 
glorious  consummation  when  Christ  "shall  be 
glorified  in  his  saints,"  etc.  That  our  God 
would  count  you  worthy  of  this  calling — 
that  is,  of  the  call  (icA^o-is),  the  summons  tiiat 
you  have  received;  identical  in  meaning  with 
Eph.  4:  1,  "The  calling  wherewith  ye  were 
called."  It  seems  unnecessary,  with  Liine- 
mann  and  Riggenbach,  to  depart  from  the 
usual  New  Testament  meaning  and  define  it 
passively,  "that  to  which  you  were  called." 
The  reason  assigned  is,  that  the  divine  call  is 
an  act  in  the  past,  whereas  the  term  here  refers 
to  something  future,  of  which  the  believer  is 
to  be  adjudged  worth j'.  This  objection  forgets 
the  vivid  ?jrese?i<  in  which  Paul  writes,  and 
does  not  justify  rejecting  the  active  sense 
which  the  word  has  in  every  other  instance. 
It  is  the  call  itself— a  summons  continually' 
ringing  in  the  believer's  ears,  and  therefore 
characterizing  his  whole  present  state  of  pro- 
bation. God's  call  is  the  first  act  toward  the 
realization  of  the  divine  election — a  realization 
not  yet  accomplished,  but  needing  the  con- 
stant operation  of  divine  grace  to  count  its 
objects  worthy,  and  to  enable  them  to  be  fruit- 
ful in  purposes  of  goodness  and  works  of  faith. 
The  apostle  has  no  doubt  of  the  final  deliver- 
ance of  the  Thessalonian  Christians  from  their 
enemies,  and  their  glorification  in  the  king- 
dom of  Christ;  he  sees  a  "  manifest  token  "  of 
it  (ver.  5),  a  token  afforded  by  God  himself 
(Phil.  1:28);  but  nonc  the  less  constant  is  his 
prayer  to  this  end  ;  none  the  less  does  he  toil 
and  strive  for  it. 

And  fulfil  all  the  ^ood  pleasure  of  his 
goodness — 'fulfil,'  complete,  bring  to  its  full 
realization  ;  the  Revised  Version  gives,  "desire 
of  goodness";  similarly',  Ellicott,  "desire  for 
goodness";  Riggenbach,  "  inclination  to  good- 


1  Aiuftot  is  the  adjective  in  Biblical  language  which 
corresponds  to  the  frequent  adverbial  plirase  «ts  tous 
aiiovai;,  "forever."  "  Everlasting,"  or  "eternal  "is  the 
established  meaning  of  the  one,  as  "  forever"  is  of  tlie 
other.     The   idea  of  Umiied  duration,  when  either    uf 


these  terms  is  employed,  is  either  absent  or  else  posi- 
tively excluded  from  its  thought.  The  contrary  view  has 
thus  far  gained  no  footing  in  the  domain  of  scientific 

philology. 


Ch.  II.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


81 


12  That  the   name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  may  be     12  faith,   with    power;    that    tlie    name   of   our  Lord 

gloritifd  ill  you,  and  ye  in  liim,  according  tu  the  grace  Jesus    may    be    jjloritied    in    you,   and    ye   in  him. 

of  our  tjod  aud  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  according   to   the  grace  of  our  Uod   and   the  Lord 

'       Jesus  Christ. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Now  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  aud  <ij/ gatheriug  together  uuto 
Lim. 


1      Now   we   beseech   you,  brethren,  'touching   the 
'comiug  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  our  gather- 


1  Gr.  in  behalf  of 2  Or.  ]>re«ene«. 


ness";  the  word  denotes  a  rational  desire,  as 
distinguished  from  a  mere  impulse  or  instinct- 
ive feeling,  and  might  be  rendered,  ''aspira- 
tion after  goodness."  The  rendering  of  the 
Common  Version  corresponds  to  that  of  Wic- 
lif,  Calvin,  and  other  of  the  older  expositors. 
But  the  word  here  rendered  'goodness'  is  not 
applied  in  the  New  Testament  to  God,  but 
only  to  men  ;  besides,  the  next  member  of  tlie 
sentence — work  of  faith— must  necessarily 
apply  to  the  Thessalonians.  On  this  latter 
phrase,  see  note  on  1  Thess.  1  :  3.  With 
power— powerfully,  to  be  connected  with 
'fulfil.'  It  is  characteristic  of  the  ardent 
apostle  that  nothing  less  than  a  mighty  work 
of  grace  will  satisfy  him.  To  Paul's  concep- 
tion the  gospel  of  Christ  was  "the  power  of 

God."       (Rom.  1:16.) 

Our  aspirations,  our  good  intentions,  are  not 
self-fulfilling.  Nor  can  we  of  ourselves  realize 
tiiem.  They  will  be  unrealized,  unproductive, 
except  as  God  shall  fulfill  them.  Tliey  must 
be  energized  with  his  power;  he  must  work 
both  tlie  willing  and  the  doing. 

12.  That  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jrsus, 
etc.  "The  name"  of  Jesus  in  Biblical  lan- 
guage, here  and  often,  denotes  Jesus  as  rei^ea led 
to  men.  One  of  the  primitive  designations  of 
Christians  was  "those  who  call  on  the  name 
of  Jesus"  ;  that  is,  pray  to  him.  See  Acts  9: 14. 
And  ye  in  him.  See  John  17  :  22,  "And  the 
glory  which  thou  hast  given  me  I  have  given 
unto  them  "  ;  Rom.  8  :  30,  "  And  whom  he  jus- 
tified, them  he  also  glorified";  2  Cor.  3  :  18, 
"  But  we  all  with  unveiled  face  reflecting  as  a 
mirror  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  transformed 
into  the  .same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  even 
as  from  the  Lord,  the  Spirit."  According  to 
the  grace,  etc.  Recurring,  as  he  closes  this 
section  of  the  Epistle,  to  the  ground-thnuglit 
embodied  in  the  apostolic  salutation— the  eter- 
nal purpose  of  grace  revealed  to  the  world  in 
the  gospel  of  Christ. 


Ch.  2  :  1-12. —  Christ's  Coming,  and  the 
Man  of  Sin. 

Course  of  Thought. — But,  brethren,  as  re- 
gards the  Day  of  the  Lord,  the  day  that  shall 
bring  requital,  and  the  consummation  of  our 
hopes,  let  no  one  persuade  you  that  it  is  already 
here.  Do.  not  be  driven  from  your  steadfast 
course  of  daily  faith  and  duty  ;  do  not  become 
restless  and  excited,  even  if  a  prophet  appear, 
or  a  message  come  purporting  to  be  from  us,, 
asserting  that  the  end  of  the  world  has  come, 
and  the  Day  of  the  Lord  has  dawned.  Two 
events  are  to  precede  the  Advent:  the  great 
Apostasy,  and  the  Manifestation  (diroicoXi/i^/ei;)  of 
the  Man  of  Sin.  Have  you  forgotten  inj-  iii- 
strtictionson  this  point?  You  know  tiie  Power 
that  now  restrains  the  arrogant  and  lawless  Ad- 
versary. This  Restrainer  shall  continue  for 
a  while  to  hold  him  in  check.  But  as  soon  as 
he  shall  be  removed,  then  the  Adversary  shall 
be  manifested.  Afterward  Jesus  shall  appear, 
and  his  appearing  shall  be  the  destruction  of 
this  foe,  whose  wiles  and  lying  wonders  are 
deluding  the  unbelieving  and  disobedient. 

1.  Now  we  beseech  you.  'Now '{a  pre- 
ferable translation  would  be  but)  marks  a  quick 
transition  to  the  topic  that  forms  the  leading 
tliemeof  tlie  latter;  namely,  the  question  as  to 
the  time  of  our  Lord's  return.  This  he  intro- 
duces, not  in  a  cold,  didactic  manner,  but  with 
affectionate  urgency,  suitable  to  its  practical 
importance  in  their  case;  similarl3'  in  1  Thess. 
4  :  1.  The  toj)ic  had  for  them  more  than  a 
theoretical  interest,  and  bore  directly  on  their 
daily  life.  By  (or,  touching) :  The  rendering 
'by'  makes  Paul  adjure  his  readers  in  view  of 
this  event.  This  explanation  was  common  in 
the  older  expositors,  but  is  not  according  to 
New  Testament  usage.  The  coming  .  .  . 
and  our  gathering  together  unto  him. 
'  Coming,'  here  as  in  2  :  *20;  3  :  13,  etc.,  of  the 
previous  letter,  is  Parouaia.  Oti  the  general 
I  subject  of  the  Advent  he'  had  taught  them 
F 


82 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  n. 


2  That  ye  be  not  soon  shaken  in  mind,  or  be  troubled,  i  2  iiig  together  nolo  biiu;  to  the  end  that  ye  be  not 

neither  by  spirit,  nor  by  word,  nor  by  letter  as  from  us,  quickly    shaken    I'roiu     your    uiiud,    nor    yet    be 

as  thai  the  day  of  Christ  is  at  hand.  troubled,  either  by  spirit,  or  by  word,  or  by  epistle 

I  as  from  us,  as  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  is  just  at 


orally,  as  well  as  in  the  previous  letter,  and  on 
'the  giitliering  together'  he  had  given  special 
instruction  in  4  :  13-18  of  that  letter. 

2.  That  ye  be  not,  etc.  The  clause  thus 
introduced  simply  states  what  the  entreaty  is: 
we  beseech  you  that  ye  be  uot  soon  shaken. 
The  question  as  to  the  proper  translation  is 
similar  to  that  in  ver.  5  of  the  previous  chap- 
ter, where  the  Revisers  use  the  same  phrase, 
'•to  the  end  that"— that  is,  whenever  an  ap- 
parent occasion  presents  itself,  whoever  shall 
seek  to  induce  you;  be  slow  to  hear  the  "  Lo 
here,"  or  the  "  Lo  there"  (see  Mark  13  :  21 
and  Matt.  24  :  23,  seq. )  of  rash  and  mistaken 
hsaders,  whose  errors  will  "lead  astray,  if  pos- 
sible, 'even  the  elect."  The  history  of  the 
church,  from  Paul's  time  to  this,  shows  how 
frequent  have  been  the  times  of  religious 
e.\citeinent,  when  men  renounced  settled  con- 
victions and  neglected  daily  duty  at  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  arrival  of  the  Advent. 
Shaken  in  (from  your)  mind — unsettled  in 
mind — distracted.  The  word  properly  denotes 
the  agitation  of  a  stormy  sea.  James  (1  :  6) 
describes  unsettled  or  wavering  faith  by  a 
similar  figure:  "He  that  doubteth  is  like  the 
."-urge  of  the  sea,  driven  by  the  wind  and 
tossed."  Neither  be  troubled.  This  is  a  still 
stronger  expression  tlian  the  preceding,  do  not 
be  disturbed  or  terrified.  Our  Lord  had  en- 
joined vigilance  in  view  of  his  return,  but  not 
restless  instability.  Steadfast  faith,  and  fidelity 
in  daily  duty;  each  man  at  his  post  and  ful- 
filling his  trust;  not  being  ever  on  the  qid 
vive  lest  the  Lord  come  and  others  know  it 
sooner  than  we. 

Tiie  danger  to  their  steadfastness  in  connec- 
tion with  this  subject  might  come,  or  had  come, 
in  three  wa\'s:  by  spirit — that  is,  by  any  sup- 
posed prophetic  communication.  See  note  on 
1  Thess.  5  :  19-21.  Any  deliverance,  pur- 
porting to  be  on  the  authority  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  contradicted  the  apo<?tolie  instruc- 
tion on  this  head,  whether  from  a  meraljer  of 
the  church  claiming  inspiration,  or  from  any 
other  person,  was  promptly  to  be  rejected. 
IN'or  by  word  nor  by  letter  as  Trom  ns 
(that  these  are  to  be  closely  conjoined,  see 
ver.   15  below)— either  an  oral  message  or  a 


letter,  that  should  be  ascribed  to  the  apostle 
and  his  colleagues.  'As,'  purporting  to  be 
'from  us.'  The  preposition  'from'  (fiia, 
through)  denotes  mediate  authorship.  The 
reference  is  thus  to  "any  message  purporting  to 
be  a  divine  revelation  sent  to  you  through  us." 
That  such  a  fictitious  message,  or  a  forged 
letter,  had  already  been  circulated  among  the 
Thessalonians,  is  not  expressly  stated.  Jowett 
supposes  that  Paul  refers  to  ''the possibility 
only  of  some  one  or  other  being  used  against 
him."  But  the  language  here  and  in  3:  17 
seems  to  warrant  the  conclusion  that  false  tra- 
ditions and  documents,  afterward  so  numerous 
and  so  prolific  of  evil,  had  already  begun  to 
be  employed  against  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 

In  discussions  on  the  canon  it  is  often  as- 
sumed that  th(!  first  age  of  the  church — the  age 
that  collected  and  transmitted  our  present 
Scriptures— was  wholly  uncritical.  The  pres- 
ent passage  hints  at  the  existence  thus  early 
(a.d.  53)  of  counterfeit  apostolic  documents, 
and  shows  that  the  church,  very  soon  after  its 
origin,  had  to  be  trained  to  distinguish  between 
the  spurious  and  the  authentic. 

As,  to  the  effect  that,  the  day  of  the 
Lord— as  in  1  Thess.  5  :  2,  the  day  of  the 
Lord's  return.  The  term,  as  we  have  seen,  is 
one  that  belongs  to  the  language  of  prophecy, 
and  is  used  to  designate  various  crises,  events, 
and  periods,  in  the  gradual  fulfillment  of  the 
divine  purposes.  Its  specific  import  must 
therefore  be  ascertained  from  the  context. 
Here  it  plainly  denotes  the  Second  Advent — 
Is  at  hand.  Is  [now]  present — is  unquestion- 
ably the  correct  rendering.  '  Is  at  hand  '  —  of 
the  Common  Version,  which  follows  Calvin 
and  the  older  English  versions,  is  a  translation 
unsupported  by  the  usage  of  the  language, 
either  in  Biblical  or  classical  writers.  Hence 
Dr.  Dods  ("Popular  Commentary  on  the  New 
Testament")  is  hardlj-  correct — "Whether 
Paul  means  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  had 
been  represented  as  having  already  begun,  or 
as  being  immediately  imminent,  it  is  difficult 
to  say."  In  each  of  the  six  other  New  Testa- 
ment passages  in  which  it  occurs,  the  verb 
(«»'e<TT.)Kei',  perfect  tense)  clearly  means  "to  be 
j)resent;." 


Ch.  II.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


83 


3  Let  no  man  deceive  you  by  any  means:  for  that  (lay 
shall  not  come,  except  there  come"  a  falling  away  first, 
and  tliat  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the  sou  of  peiditiou; 


3  hand;  let  no  man  beguile  you  in  any  wise:  fori/ 
wid  nut  be,  except  the  lalling  away  come  first,  and 
the  man  of  '  sin  be  revealed,  the  sun  of  perdition, 


1  Unay  ancieut  auiboritles  read  lawU»tne*M. 


It  appears  that  the  erroneous  doctrine  now 
throateniiig  the  church  was,  that  the  j)romise 
of  the  Parousia  had  already  been  fulfilled; 
either  that  the  Lord  Jesus  had  come  unob- 
served, somewhere  or  in  some  manner  un- 
known to  them;  or  that  the  period  broadly 
termed  the  day  of  his  coming  had  already 
begun.  If  the  former,  it  was  one  of  those  false 
iilarms  of  stealthy  advents  foretold  b^'  Christ — 
"Then  if  any  man  shall  say  unto  j'ou,  Lo 
here  is  the  Christ,  or  Here,  believe  it  not." 
(Matt.  24:23,  Rev.  ver.)  Probably  it  was  the  latter 
form  of  the  error;  namely,  that  "  the  day  "  had 
arrived,  that  "the  end"  had  come.  Had  not 
Pauls  last  letter  told  them  that  it  should  come 
as  a  thief  in  the  night?  This  view  once 
adopted,  unstable  souls  would  be  the  pre^' 
of  false  teachers;  the  flood-gates  of  disorder 
would  be  opened  in  the  church;  idleness, 
uiithrift,  and  spiritual  indolence  would  be  the 
speedy  fruits. 

3.  After  emphatically  reiterating  the  admo- 
nition not  to  be  deceived  in  either  of  the  three 
■waj-s  mentioned,  by  any  means,  or  hi  any 
manner,  Paul  proceeds  to  communicate  addi- 
tional instruction  as  to  the/n-ecw/'soj-s,  and  the 
relative  time,  of  our  Lord's  Coming.  It  was  to 
be  preceded  by  two  manifest  signs  ("signs  of 
the  times,"  Matt.  16  :  3),  warning  tokens  of 
the  great  daj',  as  Elijah  had  been  of  the  first 
coming.  By  these  they  were  to  know,  not 
when  the  day  was  to  be,  but  that  it  was 
not  yet  to  be.  Both  these  warning  tokens 
were  events  that  should  be  discornibln  by 
the  eye  of  a  studious,  attentive  faith.  These 
were:  first,  the  great  Apostasy;  second,  the 
public  advent  of  the  Miin  of  Sin.  The 
precise  relation  of  these  two  events  to  one 
another,  the  statement  is  too  brief  to  enable 
us  to  ascertain.  Thej-  may  be  contempora- 
neous— two  parallel  movements  in  the  great 
final  revolt  against  the  headship  of  Christ;  or, 
they  may  be  successive  stages  of  that  revolt, 
the  latter  being  the  culminating  manifestation. 
It  seems  clear,  however,  that  the  opposition  of 
the  Man  of  Sin  is  not  included  in  the  Apostasy, 
the  latter  being  the  treason  of  friends  ratiier 
than  the  hostility  of  avowed  enemies.     The 


following  notes  are  simplj'  for  the  elucidation 
of  the  te.vt  itself.  At  the  close  of  the  section 
the  substance  of  its  teaching  will  be  briefly 
considered.     See  page  '.K). 

For  that  day  shall  not  come,  except  there 
come  a  falling  away  first.  Notsimply 'a  fall- 
ing away,'  but  the  failing  away,  as  in  the  Re- 
vised Version;  that,  namely,  concerning  which 
he  had  instructed  them  (see  ver.  6),  and  which 
had  been  predicted  in  Christ's  words.  See 
Matt.  24  :  10-12.  The  apostle's  instruction 
was  founded  in  part,  it  may  be,  on  his  ex- 
position of  Daniel's  prophecies,  but  also  on 
our  Lord's  own  teaching.  As  for  the  words 
supplied  in  the  English  versions,  they  are 
plainly  suggested  and  required  by  the  context. 
'  Come  first,'  that  is,  previous  to  that  day. 
See  the  same  sense  of  "first"  in  Mark  9: 11. 
It  was  to  be  an  extensive  defection  from  the 
ranks  of  Christ's  professed  followers,  a  decline 
of  faith,  not  mereh'  a  general  increase  of 
wickedness.  This  is  evident  from  other  Script- 
ure: "The  Spirit  saith  expressly,  that  in  later 
times  some  shall  fall  away  from  the  faith," 
etc.  (1  Tim. 4:1.)  Compare  also  Luke  8:13; 
Heb.  6  :  16.  It  was  the  express  prediction  of 
Christ:  "The  love  of  the  many  shall  wax 
cold."  The  Apostasy'  here  spoken  of,  we  may 
therefore  confidently  conclude,  is  to  be  devel- 
oped within  the  Church.  Christ  will  be 
wounded  in  the  house  of  liis  friends,  and 
great  disaster  will  befall  the  Church  at  the 
hands  of  professed  believers.  So  far  as  the 
apostle's  prediction  fell  within  the  horizon  of 
his  own  age,  namely,  before  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  it  haJ  a  manifest  fulfillment. 
History  records  the  rajiid  and  disastrous  spread 
of  varied  heresies,  especially'  that  of  Gnos- 
ticism. False  teachers  sprang  up;  men  who, 
to  use  Jude's  words,  had  "crept  privily"  into 
the  Church;  ungodly  men,  who  turned  the 
grace  of  God  into  lasciviousncss  and  denied 
Jesus  Christ.  See  Jude  1  :  4.  The  later  epis- 
tles abound  in  denunciations  against  these 
traitors  to  the  faith;. the  writer  of  Hebrews 
threatens  all  such  with  the  fearful  vengeance 
of  the  living  God.     (Heb.  lO:  26-31.) 

This  widespread  apostasy  during  the  apos- 


84 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


tolic  iige,  which  shook  the  foundations  of  the 
Church,  and  seemed  to  human  eyes  to  forebode 
its  extinction,  was  doubtless  a  presage  and  a 
type  of  a  corresponding  defection  which  shall 
take  place  before  the  final  personal  Advent  of 
Christ  "  without  sin  unto  salvation."  To  what 
extent  the  apostle  Paul  apprehended  the  reach 
of  his  prediction,  we  may  notsaj';  probably, 
like  the  older  prophets,  he  had  but  dim  dis- 
cernment "what  time  or  what  manner  of 
time"  it  was  to  which  the  S])irit  of  Christ 
which  was  in  him  pointed.  It  is  evident, 
however,  that  portentous  spiritual  events  near 
at  hand  were  embraced  in  this  predictive  out- 
look— events  for  which  liis  prophecies,  like 
those  of  our  Lord,  were  already  preparing  the 
Church. 

Too  many  interpreters  have  taken  the  fol- 
lowing 'and' — ver.  3,  'and  the  man  of  sin  be 
revealed' — as  continuing  the  account  of  tlie 
apostasy.  They  regard  the  Man  of  Sin  as  the 
development  and  personal  head  of  this  great 
movement  of  unbelief  and  error.  But  the 
apostle's  language  by  no  means  requires  this 
identification,  and  certainly  it  ought  not  to  be 
assumed  without  proof.  He  seems  to  speak 
not  of  one,  but  of  two  precursors  to  the  Ad- 
vent. The  point  is  a  critical  one  in  the  inter- 
pretation of  the  whole  passage;  the  form  of  the 
sentence  does  not  decide  it ;  the  following  con- 
text will  need  to  be  taken  into  the  account. 
Our  further  examination  of  the  passage  will 
afford  more  or  less  convincing  grounds  for 
distinguishing  two  great  manifestations  of  evil 
that  shall  precede  the  Parousia,  one  springing 
up  within,  the  other  without,  the  Ciiristian 
Church. 

Chrysostom,  and  others  among  the  Fathers, 
failed  to  make  this  distinction.  He  remarks: 
"He  calls  Antichrist  himself  the  Apostasy,  as 
being  about  to  destroy  many  and  make  them 
fall  away."  So  also  Godet :  "  The  Antichrist 
will  be  the  representative  of  the  great  Apos- 
tasy which  is  to  take  place  before  the  return 
of  Clirist."  Similarly,  Fairbairn  "On  Pro- 
phecy," p.  366.  On  the  other  hand,  Whitby 
defines  tlie  falling  away  as  that  "of  the  Jews 
from  the  Roman  Empire,  or  from  the  faith.'' 
Weiss,  also,  and  many  others,  confidenth- 
assume  that  it  was  to  be  an  ajiostasj'  from  the 
midst  of  Judaism.  But  the  passage  itself  fur- 
nishes no  proof  for  this  view;  this  part  of 
Whitby's  theory  confuses  and  weakens  his  ar- 


gument, on  the  whole,  an  able  one,  concern- 
ing the  general  drift  of  the  passage. 

The  Man  of  Sin. — The  second  named  pre- 
cursor t)f  the  Advent  of  Christ.  In  proceeding 
to  examine  this  unique  and  diflEicult  prophetic 
description,  it  is  important  to  fix  definitely  our 
exegetical  points  of  departure.  The  postulates 
laid  down  in  the  foregoing  commentary'  on 
the  First  Epistle  (see  4  :  13)  may  be  repeated 
here : 

1.  Scripture  prophecy,  in  so  far  as  it  predicts 
the  future  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  is  organic- 
ally one. 

2.  The  language  of  prophecy  is  of  necessity 
symbolic. 

o.  New  Testament  prophecy  also  has  an 
organic  unity  of  its  own. 

4.  Prophetic  prediction  is  not  designed  to 
enable  the  reader  to  anticipate  the  external 
and  secular  phases  of  history. 

5.  We  are  to  distinguish  between  the  posi- 
tive teaching  of  the  apostles,  and  their  personal 
hopes  and  impressions. 

Furthermore, — as  in  the  question  above  re- 
ferred to,  so  here, — we  are  to  bear  in  mind 
that  the  apostle  is  simply  reiterating  pre- 
viously given  oral  instruction.  The  obscurity 
of  the  passage  is  largely  due  to  this  circum- 
stance, rather  than  to  an  oracular  reticence, 
such  as  some  have  ascribed  to  the  writer,  that 
he  might  not  arouse  the  malignity  of  the  ene- 
mies to  whom  his  language  referred. 

Another  consideration  is  vital  to  the  under- 
standing of  this,  and  the  corresponding  section 
in  the  First  Epistle.  Thc^'  foretell  a  Parousia 
of  the  Christ,  and  a  Parousia  of  the  Antichrist. 
There  are  certain  marks  of  correspondence  in 
the  Scriptural  descriptions  of  these  two  very 
different  Advents,  which  show  that  they  are 
designed  to  represent  two  broadly  antithetic 
events,  or  series  of  events,  in  the  future  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  But  if  the  prediction  of  the 
Advent  of  Christ  embraces  both  earlier  and 
later  fulfillments,  the  same  may  be  found  true 
in  the  prediction  of  the  Advent  of  Antichrist. 
It  is  undeniable  that  our  Lord's  teaching  con- 
cerning his  own  Advent  was  truly — though 
\)y  no  means  finally,  as  we  believe — fulfilled 
in  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  Common- 
wealth. That  this  latter  was  itself  a  type 
and  prediction  of  his  final  Coming  at  the 
end  of  the  world's  history  is  held  by  many 
of  the  ablest  exegetes.     See  the  excellent  ex- 


Ch.  II.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


85 


4  Who  opposetb  and  exalteth  himself  above  all  that  |   4  he  that  opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  against  all 


position  of  chap.  24,  25,  by  Dr.  Broadus,  in 
the  "Commentary  on  ilattiiew,"  belonging 
to  the  present  series.  We  have  seen  that  tiie 
language  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  in  reference  to 
tl)e  Parousia,  is  susceptible  of,  and,  indeed, 
seems  to  require,  the  application  of  the  same 
principle  of  interpretation.  His  conception 
of  the  Parousia  conforms  to  tliat  presented  in 
the  gospels.  It  will  not  be  surprising,  then,  if 
we  lind  that  in  announcing  the  Parousia  of 
the  Manof  fciin  there  is  vision  of  a  near  future, 
as  well  as  one  far  more  distant.  The  inter- 
preter may  now  verify  certain  predictions  of 
our  Lord's  Advent  in  the  events  connected 
with  the  overthrow  of  the  Jewish  polity';  it 
may  be  possible  in  these  same  events  to  lind  a 
definite  verification  of  this  antithetic  Advent 
predicted  by  Paul.  As  to  the  chief  and  ulti- 
mate fulfillment,  it  does  not  devolve  upon  the 
interpreter  to  construct  a  description  of  the 
actual  event.  Only  the  event  itself  can  thus 
interpret  the  prophecy.  The  interpreter's 
function  is  rather  to  explain  the  language  as 
it  stands,  to  elucidate,  so  far  as  may  be,  the 
contents  of  the  prophetic  S3'mbols,  and  finally 
to  deduce  the  spiritual  truths  taught  therein 
to  tlie  church  of  Christ. 

To  proceed  to  the  terms  of  the  description 
itself:  the  apostle  declares  that  the  Day  of  the 
Lord,  Christ's  Advent,  shall  not  be  until  the 
'the  Man  of  Sin  be  revealed.'  We  observe, 
first,  that  the  stress  belongs  to  the  verb  'be 
revealed'  ;  this  appears  from  the  order  of 
words  in  the  Greek.  It  is  the  revelation  f)f  the 
Man  of  Sin  that  constitutes  the  predicted  an- 
tecedent of  the  great  Day— not  merely  his 
presence  on  the  earth,  not  the  secret  workings 
of  his  j>ower,  but  iiis  public  visible  appearance 
in  the  arena  <»f  history — the  disclosure  of  his 


real  character.  The  apostle  then  goes  on  to 
name  and  to  describe  him.  According  to  the 
preferable  reading  (ifOMios,  "lawlessness,"  in- 
stead of  a/iapriaf,  "sin"),  he  is  the  Man  of 
Lawlessness,^  or  Iniquity.  See  the  margin  of 
the  Revision.  The  Revisers  have  rendered 
the  word  (avouia)  by  "initjuity"  in  every  pas- 
sage where  the  word  occurs  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment except  two:  Ver.  7,  below,  and  1  John 
3  :  4,  "  Every  one  that  doeth  sin,  doeth  also 
lawlessness;  and  sin  is  lawlessness."  (Revised 
Version.)  The  apostle's  phrase  designates  the 
character  of  this  person;  iniquity  or  law- 
lessness is  his  distinguishing  characteristic; 
in  him  it  is,  as  it  were  impersonated  and  incar- 
nate. Whether  'man'  here  denotes  an  indi- 
vidual, or  has  a  collective  sense,  will  be 
considered  below.  At  all  events,  the  apostle 
is  \\i:re picturing  i\r\  individual.  It  is  signifi- 
cant tliat  Paul,  who  a  few  j'ears  later  was  to 
expound  the  relations  of  Sin  and  Law  in  his 
letter  to  the  Romans,  singles  out  this  as  the 
distinguishing  feature  of  the  Antichrist,  and 
brands  him  Lawless.  The  son  of  perdi- 
tion— or,  destruction.  So  rendered  in  various 
passages,  both  in  the  Common  and  Revised 
Versions.  The  word  (oir<uA«ta)  is  cognate  with 
Apollyon,  "the  Destroyer."  'Son  of,'  in  Bib- 
lical diction,  exi>resses  one's  nature,  or  one's 
distinguishing  charaeteri-stic,  in  the  .strongest 
manner.  See  note  on  1  Thess.  5  :  5.  Here  it 
denotes  the  destiny  of  the  Lawless  One.  See 
ver.  8,  below.  Compare  John  17  :  12,  where 
our  Lord  i)lainiy  refers  to  Judas  Iscariot  as  a 
"6f)n  of  perdition  "  ;  also  2  Peter  2  :  12. 

4.  Who  opposeth.  As  this  clause  is  to  be 
taken  absolutely,  the  verb  having  no  object 
(so  most  of  the  recent  commentators),  the 
sense  will  be  more  plainly  given  thus:   t/ie 


I'Man  of  Lnirlessnesx,'  ofojuiot.  So  Westcott  and 
Hort,  Tischendorf,  Tregelles;  Zockler  also  ("Kiirzge- 
fasster  Couinientar,"  rendi-red  Rurhlo.<ilfjkeU).  It  has 
strong  early  tcstiitioiiy  in  its  favor:  Cixlice*  K  B,  the 
Thebaic  and  Mcnipliitie  Versions,  also  the  Arn>eiiian, 
Tcrtulliaii,  Ambrose,  Cyril  of  Jerusalem,  and  Oripcn, 
who,  however,  also  qiiote.s  the  other  reading.  Both 
readinjrs  are  early— traceable  hack  to  the  sceond  oeii- 
tury.  For  a/xapria?  are  A  D  and  the  later  uncials ;  the 
Syriac,  lyatin,  (Jothie,  and  ,1-:thi..]iie  Versions;  Origeii, 
Hipjiolytus,  and  Tlioodoret,  with  other  patristic  testi- 
monies. It  certainly  cannot  lie  assumed  diriiand.  with 
Liineniann  and  luany,  tliat  a»o/iiaf  is  taken  from  ver,  , 


7  and  8;  for  it  is  quite  as  likely  that  aiiaprria^  should 
have  been  an  early  gloss  on  avoixiav.  as  tlie  reverse.  It 
may  lie  noted  that  avoiiia.  and  airujAtia  are  eoiiple^l  to- 
gether in  Wisdom  5:7  (a  well-known  passagei,  and  in 
the  same  order  as  here.  Intrinsically,  aiojiia  would 
seem  entitled  to  the  preference.  'The  Man'  of  this 
passage  inipemonates  not  .so  much  sin  as  such,  but  the 
pride,  power,  and  resistance  of  sin — its  opjKwilion  to 
the  divine  law,  for  which  avoiiia.  was  the  familiar  term 
in  Biblical  (ireek.  It  may  be  that  the  phrase 'Man  of 
Sin'  was  also  Pa\iline,  and  l>y  oral  transmission  had 
become  familiar  in  the  early  church  asasyuouyui  for 
Antichrist. 


86 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


is  called  Cioii,  or  that  is  worshipped;  so  that  he  as  God 
sitteth  in  the  teu  pie  of  (jod,  shewing  himself  that  he 
is  God. 


that   is  culled  God   or 'that  is  worshipped;  so  th:il 
be  sitteth  in  the  ^  temple  of  God,  setting  himseif 


1  Gr.  an  object  of  worship 2  Or,  eanctuary. 


Opposer,  the  ExaLter  of  himself  against  every 
one  that  is  called  God.  'Opposeth'  whom? 
Primarily,  Christ  and  his  kingdom;  so  we 
may  infer  from  the  proper  meaning  of  Anti- 
christ, the  name  applied  to  this  or  a  similar 
arch-adversary  by  John.  "This  is  the  Anti- 
christ, even  he  that  denieth  the  Father  and 
his  Son."  (1  John  2 :  22.)  The  verb  'opposeth' 
liLVTiKeiinevoi!),  it  Will  be  observed,  has  the  same 
preposition  {avri).  That  the  context  also  spe- 
cially points  to  the  opposer  o/  Christ  has  been 
shown  by  Lunemann  :  "For  the  Man  of  Sin 
stands  in  the  closest  and  strictest  parallelism 
with  Christ.  He  is  the  forerunner  of  Christ's 
Advent,  and  has,  as  the  Caricature  [Zerrbild) 
of  Christ,  like  him  an  advent  and  a  manifes- 
ttition  ;  he  raises  the  power  of  evil,  which  ex- 
alts itself  in  a  hostile  manner  against  Christ 
and  his  kingdom  to  the  highest  point:  his 
working  is  diametrically  the  opposite  of  the 
W(^rking  of  Christ,  and  it  is  Christ's  appear- 
ance which  destroys  him." 

Following  upon  the  assertion  of  his  hostility, 
we  have  next  that  of  his  arrogant  pretension. 
This  is  especially  tnanifested  in  that  he  exalt- 
eth  himself  above  {against)  all  that  is 
called  God,  or  that  is  worshipped.  He 
is  not  only  an  antagonist  to  Christ :  he  is  a 
counter-Christ;  he  sets  himself  up  as  a  rival 
to  God  and  Christ.  He  exalts  himself  above 
every  object  of  worship,  against  every  one  to 
whom  deity  is  ascribed.  This  feature  in  the 
characterization  is  taken  directly  from  the 
description,  in  Daniel  11 :  36,  37,  of  Antiochus 
Ei>iphanes,  the  Old  Testament  type  of  Anti- 
christ: "And  the  king  shall  do  according  to 
his  will ;  and  he  shall  exalt  himself  and  mag- 
nify himself  above  every  god,  and  shall  speak 
marvellous  things  against  the  God  of  gods: 
and  he  shall  prosper  till  the  indignation  be 
accomplished;  for  that  which  is  determined 
shall  be  done.  Neither  shall  he  regard  the 
gods  of  his  fathers,  nor  the  desire  of  women, 
nor  regard  any  god:  for  he  shall  magnify 
himself  above  all."  So  that  he  as  God 
sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God.  Literally, 
".so  that  he  hath  seated  himself, ^^  or,  perhaps, 
"so  that  he  seateth  hitnself."  The  clause  ap- 
parently describes  something  that  has  taken 


place — a  fact  of  the  writer's  own  time.  The 
aorist  here,  compared  with  the  present  tenses 
in  ver.  7,  would  seem  to  settle  this  point  be- 
yond question.  Not  that  the  entire  delinea- 
tion is  comprised  within  the  apostle's  own 
time;  descriptive  and  predictive  elements 
are  blended  I;!  the  present  passage;  but  there 
is  a  manifest  reference  to  existing  phenom- 
ena known  to  his  readers,  opposing  forces 
and  manifestations  of  evil  concerning  which 
he  had  found  it  necessary'  to  instruct  and  en- 
courage them.  Hence,  the  very  form  of  Paul's 
statement  forbids  us  to  inquire  with  Hutciii- 
son,  in  what  sanctuary  or  inmost  shrine  "he 
is  to  take  his  seat."  The  question  is,  in  what 
temple  he  had  taken  his  seat.  In  its  primary 
and  historical  reference,  therefore,  we  under- 
stand by  'the  temple  of  God'  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem.  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  who  fur- 
nishes the  traits  in  this  description  of  the  Man 
of  Sin,  had  actually  desecrated  the  Jewish 
temple.  The  Tliessalonian  readers  would  un- 
derstand the  temple  in  Jerusalem  to  be  meant, 
unless  a  remoter,  figurative  meaning  were 
plainly  indicated.  If  the  temple  at  Jerusalem 
be  meant,  it  suggests  at  once  that  Paul  is  de- 
scribing a  Jewish  foe,  Jewish  opposition  to 
the  kingdom  of  Christ.  Of  no  other  malig- 
nant and  defying  agency  of  evil,  known  to  be 
in  existence  at  that  time  as  an  arch  foe  of  tbe 
church  of  Christ,  can  it  be  said  that  it  had 
enthroned  itself  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 
Caligula,  shortly  before  his  assassination  in 
the  year  4T,  had  commanded  the  erection  of  a 
statue  to  himself  in  the  Holy  Place,  but  Calig- 
ula at  the  time  of  this  writing  could  scarcely 
have  been  in  Paul's  mind  as  the  veritable 
Man  of  Sin.  By  many  expositors,  however, 
'the  temple'  here  is  taken  as  meaning  the 
Christian  Church  or  n  Christian  Church,  the 
figurative  sense  in  which  Paul  uses  the  word 
temple  in  1  Cor.  3  :  17.  Compare  1  Cor.  6 :  19; 
Eph.  2  :  21.  This  was  the  interpretation  cur- 
rent among  the  Greek  Fatliers,  in  modern 
times  adopted  by  Calvin,  Pelt,  Olshausen, 
Alford,  and  many  others.  In  the  compre- 
hensive inter]iretation  of  the  prophecy,  in- 
cluding both  its  immediate  and  its  remoter 
reference,   the  latter  signification  would  not 


Ch.  II.] 


XL  THESSALONIANS. 


87 


5  Renieniber  ye  not,  that,  when  I  was  yet  with  you, 
I  told  yoii  thoseihiugs? 

ti  And  now  ye  know  what  withholdeth  that  he  might 
be  revealed  in  his  liiue. 

7  For  the  mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already  work  : 


5  forth  asCiod.     Ueaicmher  ye  not,  that,  when  I  nas 
0  yet    with    yiMi,  1    told    you    thoe  tilings?     And  imw 
ye  know  that  which  lestraiiietli,  to  the  end  tlial  lie 
7  may  be  revealed  in  his  own  season.     For  the  mys- 
tery of  lawlessness  doth  already  work:   'only  l/tcre 


1  Or,  only  untii  he  that  nam  rettraiHeth  ba  taken,  etc. 


necessarily  be  excluded;  but  in  deciding  upon 
its  primary  and  immediate  reference,  we  are 
forced,  with  Ellicott,  to  decide  in  favor  of  tlie 
former,  wliicli  is  also,  according  to  the  state- 
ment of  Irenseus,  the  earliest  traditional  inter- 
pretiition.  Showing  himself  that  he  is 
God — or,  more  literally  and  in  more  explicit 
English,  di'cliirinrf  that  he  khnself  is  God,  the 
emphasis  being  on  'himself;'  not  on  'is,'  as 
Alford  lias  it.  This  is  the  climax  of  human 
sin  ;  it  is  self-assertion  in  its  ftilsest,  most  im- 
pious and  defiant  form — a  colossal,  monstrous 
lie.  As  Julius  Miiller  suggests,  it  is  conscious 
falsehood;  he  cannot  really  believe  his  own 
assertion. 

5.  I  told  yon.  The  itiiperfect  tense  of  the 
verb  nattirally  implies  instruction  more  or 
less  continuous.  Thus  the  present  chtipter 
simply  embraces  the  heads  of  considerable 
oral  teaching  on  the  subject  during  the  few 
weeks  or  months  immediately  following  their 
conversion.  This  teaching,  as  remarked  tibove, 
seems  not  unlikely  to  have  been  in  connection 
witii  readings  or  lessons  in  the  Book  of  Dsiniel. 

6.  And  now  ye  know.  'Now'  hits  almost 
the  sense  of  accordingly — that  is,  having  had 
such  oral  instruction,  thin  heinrj  the  case.  On 
this  subject  also  of  the  Re.straitier,  they  had 
been  taught,  and  the  apostle  merely  calls  to 
mind  the  main  points:  What  withholdeth— 
or,  that  which  restraineth,  neuter;  below  it  is 
ma-sculine,  "he  who  now  letteth,"  or  "one 
who  restraineth."  '  Restraineth  '  what?  The 
next  clause  suggests  the  answer:  a  premature 
revealing  of  the  Lawless  One;  'restraineth' 
him  from  being  revealed,  until  the  divinely- 
ordained  time  shall  have  come.  What  or  ivho 
it  is  that  restrains— as  to  this  we  have  abso- 
lutely no  infortnation  other  than  the  designa- 
tions themselves,  and  what  is  implied  in  ver. 
7-11,  immediately  following.  "The  neuter 
in  ver.  6  denotes  the  power,  the  principle; 
the  masculine  in  ver.  7,  a  personality  at  the 
head  of  that  power;  at  least  this  \s  a  priori 
the  most  natural  suggestion."  (Riggenbach.) 
That  the  restraining  power  denotes  the  Roman 
Empire,  and  the  'one  who  restraineth'   tlie 


Roman  Emperor,  is  the  judgment  of  almost 
all  interpreters  at  the  present  time.  That 
he  might  (or,  ynay)  be  revealed.  The  pttr- 
pose  of  this  dela}'  is  that  in  his  a|)pointed  tine 
(both  the  delay  and  the  time  are  divinely 
ordained)  he  may  be  full^'  revealed,  may 
stand  forth  in  his  true  character.  In  his  time 
(or,  his  own  season) — that  is,  when  his  titiie 
shall  come.  'Own,'  in  the  Revised  Version, 
might  well  be  omitted — pmbablj',  even  fol- 
lowing the  text  used  by  the  Revisers;  cer- 
tiiinly,  according  to  the  Greek  te.xt  of  Tisch- 
endorf,  and  of  Westcott  and  Hort. 

7.  For  the  mystery  of  iniquity  (laioless- 
ness),  etc.  AVhat  follows  is  exi)lanatory,  hence 
the  '  for' — a  restatement  of  the  presetit  posture 
of  the  matter,  and  of  the  future  event.  Aow, 
this  lawless  one  is  active,  but  mysteriously 
disguised;  his  essential  falsehood  undisclosed 
or  repressed;  then,  in  due  season,  he  shall 
stand  forth  recognized  and  consi)icuous,  but 
not  until  the  power  appointed  of  God  to  pre- 
vent that  manifestation  shall  be  taken  out  of 
the  way.  '  Mystery  of  lawlessness' — evidently 
the  inner,  animtiting  principle  of  that  which 
in  its  etnb()diment  is  desigiuited  above  jnan  of 
lawlessness;  mysterious  because  of  its  uni<iue 
moral  character.  This  feature  tends  to  con- 
firnt  the  view  already  advanced,  that  the 
primal  type  of  the  Man  of  Sin  is  to  be  found  in 
the  Judaism  which  was  then  opposing  the  gos- 
pel. If  the  history  of  the  Judaislic  crusade 
against  the  apostolic  church  were  known  to  us 
in  its  details,  instead  ot  in  its  barest  outlines, 
we  should  better  understand,  no  doubt,  the 
peculiar  significance  of  this  and  other  expres- 
sions in  ver.  9,  10,  by  which  this  crusade  is 
characterized.  In  its  secrecy,  its  vast  "under- 
ground" power,  it  might  well  be  called  mys- 
terious, perhaps  also  from  the  subtly-blended 
truth  and  falsehood,  honest  zeal  and  malig- 
nant, Satanic  hate,  that  rendered  Pharisaism 
in  its  later  developments  one  of  the  profound- 
est  moral  enigmas  of  history.  It  is  to  be  ob- 
served that  at  this  point,  where  Paul  comes  to 
speak  more  )iarlicularly  of  the  existing  agency 
!  of  the  Lawless  One,  atid  of  its  results,  he  uses 


88 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


only  he  "ho  now  letteth  ivitl  let,  until  be  be  taken  out 
of  the  way. 

8  And  then  shall  that  Wicked  be  reveiilad,  whom  the 
I^ord  shall  consume  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and 
shall  destroy  with  the  brightness  of  his  coming: 

9  Even  him,  whose  coming  is  after  the  working  of 
Satan  with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders. 


is  one  that  restraineth  now,  until  he  be  taken  out 

8  of  the  way.  And  then  shall  be  revealed  the  law- 
less one,  whom  the  Lord  i  Jesus  shall  -slay  with  the 
breath   of  nis  mouth,  and   bring  to  nouj;ht  by  the 

9  manifestation  ol  his  ^coming;  ecen  he,  whose  ^com- 
ing is  according  to   the  working  of  Satan  with  all 


1  Some  aDCieoi  au  h'U-ities  oinil  Jesus 2  Some  aucieul  auiborities  read  ( 


tic 3  Gr. presence. 


the  general  term  'mystery,'  and  below,  in 
ver.  11,  a  "working"  (energy)  of  error.  This 
suggests  at  once,  and  the  impression  becomes 
stronger  on  reflection,  that  he  is  not  describing 
any  historical  personage,  and  also  that  his  pro- 
phetic vision  into  the  future  outlines  a  vaster 
figure  than  any  single  Nimrod  or  Napoleon 
of  sin.  Doth  already  work.  Tiie  word 
(ivcpye'iTai)  implies  active,  energetic  agency. 
It  is  here  distinctly  stated  that  the  principle 
of  sin  which  was  hereafter  to  be  embodied  in 
some  distinctly  personal  representation  was  at 
that  time  active,  and  was  kept  in  check  only 
by  another  more  powerful  agency. 

Only  he  who  now  letteth;  that  is,  there  is 
one  that  restraineth  now.  The  present  agencj', 
active  though  under  restraint,  will  continue 
until  he  who  is  now  restraining  shall  be 
removed.  'That  wiiich  restraineth'  of  ver. 
6  is  here  one  toko  restraineth — masculine  and 
personal.  The  change  is  significant,  and  in 
this  connection  can  hardly  be  ft>r  the  sake  of 
rhetorical  vividness.  It  seems  distinctly  to 
indicate  a  personality  as  wielding  this  power 
of  restraint.  The  history  of  the  times  leads  to 
the  obvious  inference  that  Paul  is  guardedly 
referring  to  the  einperor,  the  personal  repre- 
sentative of  the  existing  civil  power.  Until 
he  be  taken  out  of  the  way.  This  transla- 
tion goes  a  little  beyond  the  original,  which 
does  not  at  all  necessarily  imply  a  removal  of 
the  Restrainer  by  any  other  agency  than  his 
own.  More  literally,  until  he  be  out  of  the 
way ;  that  is,  until  his  power  shall  terminate, 
nothing  at  all  being  said  as  to  whether  this 
should  take  place  by  a  peaceful  transition,  or 
be  the  result  of  an  overthrow  by  some  agency 
from  without.  Farrar  is  also  wrong:  "until 
he  be  got  out  of  the  way."  Hofmann  con- 
siders the  phraseology  as  more  likely  implying 
a  voluntary  withdrawal  of  the  Restrainer  from 
the  scene  of  action,  or  from  participation  in 
the  events  spoken  of. 

8-10.  And  then  shall  that  Wicked 
(lawless  one)  be  revealed.  Paul's  language 
ri.ses,  as  this  vision  of  the  future  opens  befora 


him,  into  the  majestic  sublimity  of  Hebrew 
poetry.  The  parallelism  and  rhetorical  full- 
ness of  diction,  the  rhythm  and  imagery  of 
this  brief  prophetic  strain,  reflect  the  exulta- 
tion with  which  he  sees,  as  if  near  at  hand,  the 
swift  destruction  of  this  malignant  and  terrible 
embodiment  of  sin.  The  emphasis  is  on  'then'; 
then,  as  soon  as  the  Restrainer's  power  shall  be 
withdrawn.  The  Lawless  One  is  undoubtedly 
identical  with  the  Man  of  Lawlessness  above. 

Whom  the  Lord  (Jesus)  shall  consume 
(Revised  Version,  slay).  The  Christ  shall  slay 
the  Antichrist.  A  speedy  downfall  and  de- 
struction of  this  empire  of  sin,  for  the  Lord  shall 
then  come,  and  his  Coming  shall  be  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Lawless  One.  IShall  slay  with  the 
spirit  (breath)  of  his  mouth — prophetic  dic- 
tion of  the  Old  Testament.  Compare  Isa. 
11  :  4:  "  With  the  breath  of  his  lips  shall  he 
slay  the  wicked"  ;  Job  4:9:  "By  the  brcatii 
of  God  thoy  perish,  and  by  the  blast  of  his 
anger  are  they  consumed.'"  There  will  be  no 
struggle,  no  laborious  contest  witli  this  Anti- 
christ; the  might  of  God  will  simply  breathe 
destruction  upon  him.  Far  different  that  other 
"  breathing  forth  "  (see  John  20 :  22)  by  which 
our  Lord  symbolized  the  giving  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  his  disciples.  And  destroy  with 
the  brightness  (or,  by  the  manife.stn.tion)  of 
his  coming — that  is,  as  soon  as  his  Coming 
shall  be  made  manifest.  'Brightness  of  his 
coming,'  though  poetically  suggestive  (com- 
pare Milton:  "Far  off  his  coming  shone"), 
was  not  quite  correct  as  a  translation.  The 
ver3'  sight  of  the  advancing  King  shall  carry 
terror  to  the  heart  of  his  adversary  and  bring 
annihilating  ruin.  The  vision  of  him  from 
afar  shall  be,  as  it  were,  instant  destruction  to 
his  foes.  See  ver.  9  in  the  preceding  chapter  : 
"Destruction  [proceeding]  from  the  face  of 
the  Lord." 

9.  Even  him — supplied  in  English  in  order 
to  show  tiiat  (whose)  the  pronoun  ft)lh)\ving, 
refers  to  the  first  and  main  subject  of  the  sen- 
tence, "the  Lawless  One."  Whose  coming 
— whose  Parousia,  the  same  word  being  used 


Ch.  II.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


89 


10  And   with   all   tU'Cuivablencss  of  iinrighteousiiL-ss  [  10  'power    and    sijjiis    and    lying   wonders,  and    willi 
in  them  that  jierish  ;  because  they  received  not  the  love  all  deceit  i>t  unrighteoiisiie'-..s  l.ir  lUeui  that  -perish  ; 

of  the  truth,  that  they  uiigUt  be  saved.  |        because   they   received   uul  the  love  of  the  truth, 

1  Gr.  power  and  sign*  and  uondtrt  o/ /altehood 2  Or,  are periihiug. 


that  is  iipplied  to  the  Advent  of  Clirist  (his 
first  as  well  as  his  second  Cuming  to  etirth ; 
see  2  Peter  1  :  16) ;  the  Advents  of  tlie  Ciirist 
and  the  Antichrist  are  heie  placed  in  close 
and  striking  contrast.  Is  after  (accordiaff  to) 
the  working  of  Satan.  '  Is '  (present  tense) 
asserts  a  general  attribute  of  the  Antichrist's 
Paroiisia.  It  is  not  to  be  taken  as  referring  to 
the  future  alone,  but  a])parently  includes  as 
well  existing  manifestiitions  of  his  power  at 
the  time  of  the  writer.  A  comparison  with 
ver.  7 — '  working'  (ivepynav)  with  'doth  already 
work'  (exepyeirat) — sliows  plainly  that  the  ajjos- 
tle  is  describing  not  merely  future,  but  ex- 
isting phenomena  of  Antichrist's  activity. 
Notice  also  in  the  following  verses — "that 
perish,"  or,  are  perishing,  and  "shall  send," 
or,  sendeth.  See  also  remarks  on  "sitteth 
in  the  temple  of  God,"  ver.  4.  Ellicott  and 
the  great  majority  interpret  otherwise.  "The 
(ethical)  present  marks  the  certainty  of  the 
future  event."  So  also  Litnemann,  Riggen- 
bach.  But  such  interpretation  strains  both 
text  and  context.  The  characteristic  elements 
of  his  coming  are  such  as  Paul  discerns 
already  in  active  operation.  The  final  cen- 
tralized and  incarnated  force  of  evil,  while 
yet  future  is,  however,  described  as  seen  in  its 
existing  manifestation.s.  In  the  first  place, 
there  is  seen  in  his  working  an  "energy  of 
Satan."  Satan  will  enter  into  him  as  into  liis 
typical  predecessor,  Judas.  (Joim  i3:2,  ?7.)  He 
will  be  a  suj^erhuman  incarnation  of  evil. 
"In  Antichrist,  Satan's  masterpiece,  will 
Satan,  so  to  speak,  exhaust  himself,  putting 
forth  through  him  all  his  own  resources  of 
strength  and  skill,  and  that  in  both  spheres  of 
his  operation,  the  external  and  the  spiritual." 
(Liliie.)  With  all  power  and  .signs  and 
lying  wonders — literally,  "ail  i)owor  and 
signs  and  wonders  of  false/iood ;"  'lying,'  or 
'falsehood,'  applies  not  merely  to  the  last 
noun  named,  but  to  all  three— his  power,  signs, 
and  wonders.  In  this  interpretation  Ellicott, 
Alford,  and  indeed  most  expositors  are  agreed. 
It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  these  tUroo—pnirer, 
sign,  wondei — are  precisely  the  three  terms 
most  employed  in  the  gospel  history  to  denote 


our  Lord's  supernatural  deeds.  But  his  were 
true  miracles,  these  of  the  Antichrist  are  false ; 
tiie  latter  are  lying,  counterfeit,  powers  and 
signs  and  wonders.  "Antichrist's  coming  is 
brought  into  comparison  with  the  earthly 
ministry  of  Christ,  as  exhibiting  itself  also  as 
surrounded  with  all  forms  of  wonderful  action, 
which,  however,  are  grounded,  not  like  Christ's 
miracles,  in  truth,  but  in  falseh(M)d,  in  that 
they  are  performed,  not  in  God's  powi-r,  but 
in  Satan's."  (Olslniusen.)  Assuming  that  it  is 
the  .Iewi<»h  enmity  to  tlie  gospel,  to  which  the 
apo.stle  has  alluded  as  the  mystery  of  lawless- 
ness which  is  already  active,  it  is  not  ditficult 
to  see  the  historical  basis  for  this  part  of  the 
description.  See  the  ticcount  of  Simon  ilagus 
in  Acts  8 :  9, 10,  "  who  used  sorcery  and  amazed 
the  people  of  Samaria,  giving  out  that  he  iiim- 
self  was  some  great  one ;  "  also  Acts  ];i  :  0-12, 
concerning  Btir-jestis  the  "sorcerer  and  false 
prophet,"  "full  of  all  guile  and  villainy,''  etc. 
As  Israel  turned  awtiy  from  God  and  his  law, 
it  became  the  dupe  of  ftilse  prophets  and  pre- 
tended miracle-workers.  One  of  the  qualifi- 
cations to  a  seat  in  the  Sanhedrin,  it  is  sttiti-d 
on  the  authority  of  Jewish  writers,  was  to  be 
skilled  in  magic. 

10.  With  all  deceivableness  (deceit)  of 
unrighteousness.  A  notable  proof  of  the 
'power'  just  spoken  of  is  his  success  in 
deceiving  men ;  he  is  mighty  to  deceive. 
Sin  is  essentially  deceitful;  "exhort  one 
another  daily,  lest  any  one  of  you  be  hardened 
by  the  deceitfulness  of  sin"  (Heb. 3:i3),  the 
siime  word  in  the  original  as  'deceit'  liere. 
Compare  Christ's  prediction  :  "  For  there  shall 
arise  false  Christs  and  false  prophets,  and  shall 
show  great  signs  and  wonders,  so  as  to  lead 
astray,  if  possible,  even  the  elect."  (.m»ii.  S4:i4.) 
In  (or,  for)  them  that  perish.  It  is  for,  it 
reaches  and  affects  'them  that  perish,'  or,  art 
perishing,  not  true  believers.  Why  it  de- 
ceives the  'perishing,'  and  not  all,  is  indi- 
cated: because  they  received  not  the  love 
of  the  truth — 'the  truth.'  having  a  somewhat 
definite  reference  to  the  moral  and  religious 
truth  comprised  in  Christ'sgospel.  The  catise, 
observe,  is  not  merely  rejection  of  the  truth, 


90 


11.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  IL 


11  And  for  this  cause  God  shall  send  tbeni  strong 
delusion,  that  lliey  should  believe  a  lie: 

12  That  they  all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not 
the  truth,  but  bad  pleasure  in  unrighteousness. 


11  that  they  might  be  saved.  And  for  this  cause  (iod 
sendeth  them  a  working  of  eri-or,  that  they  should 

12  believe  a  lie:  that  Ibey  all  might  be  judged  who 
believed  not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unright- 
eousness. 


but  aversion  to  it.  "Men  loved  the  darkness 
rather  than  the  light."  (Johii3:i9.)  They  not 
only  ".believed  not  the  trutli,  hut  had  pleasure 
in  unrighteousness''  (ver.  V2,  below);  "tliey 
hold  down  the  truth  in  unrighteousness." 
(Rom.  1:18.)  Tile  jipostlc's  words  also  hint  at  a 
criminal  indifference  to  tlieir  eternal  welfare  ; 
the  gospel,  offered  them  that  they  might  be 
saved,  they  rejected.  Truth  does  not  become 
saving  truth  unless  it  be  loved.  It  will  be 
loved,  if  the  heart  but  open  itself,  or  if  the 
Lord  but  open  it,  as  in  the  case  of  Lydia  at 
Philippi.  And  he  will  open  it,  if  he  gain  con- 
sent. In  this  incidental  phrase,  'received  not 
the  love,'  there  is  certainly  profound  sug- 
gestion as  to  the  nature  of  unbelief.  Religious 
truth  does  not  compel  the  will,  nor  is  the 
assent  of  the  intellect  altogether  independent 
of  the  feelings.  On  this  point,  compare  A.  S. 
Farrar,  "History  of  Free  Th(night,"  pp.  14,  15. 
11.  God  shall  send  them  strongdelusioii. 
Revised  Version  reads,  Sendeth  them  a  work- 
ing of  error,  stating,  as  in  ver.  9,  10,  not  only 
a  principle  containing  the  germ  of  a  proph- 
ecy, but  what  was  actually  going  on  at  the 
time  of  writing.  To  consider  this  merely  "a 
vivid  prophetic  present,"  as  Hutchison  and 
many,  requires  a  strained  reading  of  the  whole 
passage.  The  apostle,  writing  under  the  evi- 
dent impression  that  the  Coming  of  the  Lord 
was  not  far  off,  sees  already  the  tokens  of  Anti- 
christ's presence  and  power,  and  the  phrase- 
ology of  the  paragraph  from  ver.  4  to  ver.  12 
naturally  adjusts  itself  to  this  fact.  The  ne.vt 
paragraph  strongly  confirms  this  interpreta- 
tion ;  it  takes  its  tone  from  the  vivid  contrast 
between  the  deluded  and  perishing  adherents 
of  Satan,  and  the  believing  church  to  whom 
he  was  writing.  Upon  tho.se  who  reject  and 
repress  the  truth  God  sends  "an  energy  of 
error"  (^ivipytiav) .  Falsehood  begets  falsehood. 
Sin  is  punished  by  sin.  This  is  the  divine  order 
of  things,  rt  is  involved  in  the  nature  and 
constitution  of  moral  beings.  It  is  thus,  espe- 
cially, that  "the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed 
from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  un- 
righteousness of  men."     (Rom.  i:  is.)    The   en- 


tire paragraph  (Rom.  i:  is-si.)  is  an  illustrative 
commentary  upon  the  present  declaration. 
That  they  should  believe  a  lie — literally, 
the  lie  or  falsehood  (the  word  is  the  same  as 
that  rendered  'falsehood '  in  margin  of  ver.  9), 
the  falsehood  which  the  Man  of  Siu  as&erts 
and  embodies. 

12.  That  they  all  might  be  damned — 
properly,  judged.  The  clause  properly  de- 
pends on  the  preceding  verse  taken  as  a 
whole.  This  revelation  uf  God's  wrath  against 
conscious  and  deliberate  sinners,  while  they 
are  yet  on  the  earth,  prepares  the  way  for  the 
fuller  disclosures  of  the  day  of  judgment. 
The  lines  of  providential  retribution  are 
already  seen  converging  toward  the  final 
crisis  of  doom.  This  line  of  thought  reap- 
pears more  fully  and  distinctly  in  the  first  two 
chapters  of  Romans.  The  phrase,  'Might  be 
damned'  —that  is,  condemned  (though  the  con- 
text implies  a  condemnatory  judgment),  ex- 
presses more  than  the  original.  Who  believed 
not,  etc.  Here,  as  implied  in  ver.  10,  the  oppo- 
site of  belief  is  vie  wed,  not  merely  as  intellectual 
non-belief,  or  even  disbelief,  but  as  a  desire  of 
unrighteousness.  "Had  pleasure"  (euSoK^o-ov- 
T€s)  is  a  word  cognate  with  that  translated 
"desire"  in  1  :  11. 

General  Note  on  Yerses  1-12.  The 
Man  of  Sin.' 

I.  In  the  notes  introductory  to  the  section,  I 
have  pointed  out  its  organic  relation  to  the 
whole  body  of  Biblical  prophecy,  and  par- 
ticularly its  place  in  New  Testament  prophecy. 
It  remains,  in  the  present  note,  to  summarize 
the  traits  of  this  great  enemy  of  Christ  and 
his  kingdom,  upon  whose  revelation  and  de- 
struction the  Apostle  Paul's  prophetic  gaze  is 
fixed.  What  are  the  prominent  features  of 
"this  terrible  image,  which  Christ's  apostle, 
standing  in  the  bright  Pentecostal  morn  of 
Christianity,  already  saw  casting  a  baleful 
shadow  across  the  heavens  and  lifting  looks 
of  proud  defiance  even  in  the  temple  of 
God"? 

1.  Lawlessness. — Its  distinguishing  feature 


1  In  part  from  the  "  Baptist  Quarterly  Review,"  July,  1889 ;  article,  "  The  Man  of  Sin.' 


Ch.  II.] 


11.  THESSALONIANS. 


91 


is  Anomla,  iniquity  or  lawlessness.  He  is  the 
•'Man  of  Lawlessness,"  the  "  Lawless  One"  ; 
bis  working  is  "a  mystery  of  hiwk-ssness." 
This  triple  repetition  lends  signiticance  and 
emphasis  to  the  name  of  the  Pauline  Anti- 
christ. It  designates  the  most  obvious  as- 
pect of  his  sin.  The  term  is  not  a  weak 
negation,  marking  lapse  from  hiw,  mere 
mural  defect;  it  is  rather  resistance,  deliberate 
disobedience,  and  transgression.  The  seat  of 
tlie  antagonism  is  tiie  will ;  tliis  incarnate 
iniquity  is  self-will  raised  to  its  highest  power. 

2.  (Jppusltioii  to  Clirist  and  his  Kingdom. — 
This  is  the  notable  mark.  He  is  the  Opposer. 
He  represents  the  chief  human  force  arrayed 
against  Christ.  His  sin  is  not  merely  un- 
governable defiance  of  moral  law,  bursting 
through  all  restraint,  but  is  a  definite  antag- 
onism to  Christ  and  his  redemptive  work. 

3.  6'e//-rfe(/ica<ton.— "  Whoexalteth  himself 
against  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  wor- 
shipped." He  even  declares  himself  to  be 
God.  (ver.4.)  Ail  sin  tends  to  this.  Selfish- 
ness is  the  folly  that  says  in  its  heart,  "  No 
God  !  "  But  the  sin  here  charged  reaches  the 
very  height  of  impiety,  a  deliberate  and 
avowed  assumption  of  the  prerogatives  of 
God.  It  implies  a  claim  to  obedience  and 
worship.  Coupled  with  this  is  the  fact  that 
he  hath  taken  possession  of  God's  teni))le,  en- 
throning himself,  so  to  speak,  in  the  very 
presence  chamber  of  God. 

4.  Mystery. — Its  arrogant  and  ungovern- 
able impiety  was  cloaked  in  mystery.  Its 
deeds  were  known  to  the  apostles  and  his 
readers,  its  agencies  in  active  operation,  yet, 
to  a  certain  extent,  concealed  within  a  veil  of 
secrecy.  We  must  note,  however,  that  "mys- 
tery" in  the  New  Testament  denotes  not  only 
that  which  is  hidden,  unknowable  by  human 
reason  alone,  but  that  which  it  belongs  jiecu- 
liarly  to  the  Christian  revelation  to  disclose. 
If  we  are  to  take  the  term  here  in  its  specific 
New  Testament  sense,  it  ])oints  to  a  mode  and 
degree  of  iniquity  inexplicable,  except  through 
divine  revelation,  and  which  only  the  fuller 
unfoldings  of  the  plan  of  grace  will  explain 
to  the  understanding  of  man. 

5.  Lyinf/  pretensions  and  false  miracles. — 
It  "works  with  signs  and  Ij'ing  wonders,  and 
with  all  deceit  of  unrighteousness."  It  is 
Satanic  in  pretension,  in  power,  and  in  deceit. 
It  is  a  "  working  of  error,"  causing  those  who 


are  perishing  to  "believe  a  lie."  These  are 
approjiriate  traits  in  one  who  arrogates  to 
himself  religious  pre-eminence  and  enthrones 
himself  in  the  jdace  of  God.  They  are  traits 
that  properly  belong  to  the  religious  sphere, 
and  mark  a  person  or  a  power  not  merely 
opposing  Christ,  but  claiming  to  supersede 
him,  demanding  exclusive  allegiance,  and 
arrogating  to  itself  the  whole  domain  of  faith. 

6.  To  be  revealed  before  the  Parousia.—\s'  hat 
the  apostle  predicts  is  not  the  coming  of  the 
Man  of  Sin,  but  his  revelation.  That  which 
has  been  hidden  from  mankind —somewhat 
j>ertaining  to  his  agency,  personality,  covert 
and  deceptive  operations — shall  be  in  due  time 
disclosed.  Nodefinite  statement  is  made  either 
as  to  the  manner  or  as  to  the  content  of  this 
"revelation,"  only  that  it  and  the  apostasy 
are  the  two  notable  precursors  of  the  Parou- 
sia. 

7.  The  revelation  delayed  by  a  Rrstrainer. 
— There  is  one  who  restrains,  there  is  that 
ivhich  restrains  the  full  manifestation  of  this 
Incarnate  Iniquity,  "until  he,  the  Restrainer, 
be  taken  out  of  the  way,"  or,  as  it  miglit 
better  be  rendered,  "until  he  be  out  of  its 
way."  When  once  that  restraining  force  shall 
be  "out  of  its  way,"  shall  cease  to  be  exerted 
in  its  restraint,  then  the  revelation  shall  take 
place.  This  restraining  force,  it  is  now  gener- 
ally admitted,  was  the  lioman  Imperial  Gov- 
ernment. 

8.  Doomed  to  destruction  at  the  Parousia. — 
The  destruction  is  not  described  literally,  but 
in  the  familiar  language  of  apocalyptic  s^-m- 
bolism :  "Whom  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  slay 
with  the  breath  of  his  mouth,  and  bring  to 
nought  by  the  manifestation  of  his  coming." 

9.  It  is  a  personality,  or  an  agency-,  eoutem- 
poraneons  with  the  ivriter.  The  language  of 
the  descri])tion  throughout  implies  an  agency 
of  evil  already  known  to  the  writer  and  his 
readers.  "The  mystery  of  lawlessness  is  al- 
ready working."  This  can  only  refer  to  the 
lawless  power  previously  spoken  of.  The 
phraseology  of  ver.  0-12  is  also  most  naturally 
explained  as  having  reference  to  existing  facta 
— on  the  one  band,  "a  working  of  error,"  ac- 
companied by  "power  and  sigris  and  lying 
wonders"  ;  on  the  other,  men  who  "are  i>er- 
ishing,"  and  who  "believe  a  lie."  Still  nioro 
decisive  is  the  language  in  ver.  0.  where  th»i 
restraint  exerted  upon  the  Man  of  Lawlessness 


92 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  II. 


— a  restraint  that  operates  to  hinder  tlie  pre- 
dicted revehitiou — is  clearly  spoken  of  as  a 
present  fact. 

II.  Remembering  that  we  have  primai'ily 
to  consider  moral  agencies,  and  facts  known 
both  to  Paul  and  his  readei-s,  the  question  that 
meets  tlie  interpreter  is  this:  What  arrogant, 
impious,  and  Satanic  enemy  of  Christ  was  it 
that  was  to  be  revealed  and  destroyed  at  the 
not  far  distant  Parousia  ?  In  the  brief  sketch 
of  recent  opinions  given  below,  it  will  be  seen 
tliat  certain  classes  of  interpreters  do  not  un- 
dertake to  answer  precisely  tliis  question  ;  of 
those  who  do,  the  opinions  are  various  and 
widely  divergent.  As  already  indicated  in 
the  notes  on  the  text,  I  do  not  understand  the 
passage  to  refer  to  some  one  individual  j^erson, 
a  human  monster  of  iniquity,  who  was  to 
come  into  being,  either  in  the  near  or  in  the 
distant  future;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  to  an 
abstract  principle  of  evil,  operative  in  all 
periods,  and  restricted  to  no  particular  sphere 
of  history.  The  proper  counterpart  of  the 
Man  of  bin  is  rather  to  be  sought  within  the 
sphere  of  Jewish  history,  and,  primarily, 
during  the  apostolic  age.  How  obviously  an 
unforced  exegesis  of  the  passage  suggests  Ju- 
daistic  antagonism  to  the  gospel  as  the  ground- 
work of  the  delineation,  may  be  seen  in  the  fore- 
going notes.  A  considerable  body  of  modern 
scholars,  among  them  exegetes  with  the  vast 
learning  of  John  Lightfoot,  and  with  the 
sympathetic  penetration  of  Godet,  while  dif- 
fering widely  on  minor  points,  and  in  their 
application  of  the  details  of  the  passage,  have, 
nevertheless,  been  at  one  in  that  general  con- 
clusion. Lightfoot  ("Harmony  of  the  New 
Testament,"  1654)  says:  "The  several  char- 
acters that  the  apostle  gives  of  the  Man  of  Sin 
agree  most  thoroughly  to  that  generation  and 
nation."  Whitby  supports  this  view,  with 
abundant  citation  from  historical  sources,  in 
his  "Paraphrase  and  Commentary  upon  all 
tlie  Epistles  of  the  New  Testament,  '  London, 
1700.  "No  nation  under  heaven,"  he  says, 
"  more  deserved  to  be  styled  the  Man  of  Sin 
than  did  the  Jewish  nation,  after  the  spirit  of 
phunber  and  blindness  was  come  upon  them." 
J.  B.  Lightfoot,  the  recently  deceased  Bishop 
of  Durham,  in  Smith's  "Dictionary  of  the 
Bible,"  article,  "  Thessalonians,  Second  Epis- 
tle," briefly  assents  to  the  same  view. 
To  be  more  definite,  iha  principle  denounced 


by  the  apostle  is  that  of  Pharisaic  Judaism; 
its  historic  embodiment  we  are  to  find  in  the 
Jewish  hierarchy  and  religious  leaders  of  the 
century  following  the  crucifixion.  The  Juda- 
ism that  rejected  Christ;  that  persecuted  the 
early  church;  that  hounded  the  apostle  Paul 
to  the  death;  that  endeavored  to  prevent  the 
salvation  of  the  Gentiles,  neither  itself  enter- 
ing into  the  kingdom  nor  suffering  others  to 
enter;  that  crept  into  the  apostolic  church  to 
undermine  and  destroy  it ;  that  called  forth 
Paul's  righteous  indignation,  when  he  pointed 
out  the  "wrath  to  the  uttermost"  impending 
over  its  guilty  head;  and  that  called  forth  the 
still  more  awful  invective  of  our  Lord  near 
the  close  of  his  ministry, — this  was  the  one 
conspicuous  and  deadly  enemy  of  the  church, 
at  the  time  when  the  Epistle  was  written,  and 
for  many  years  to  come.  No  other  historic 
embodiment  of  sin,  I  am  convinced,  so  fully 
and  accurately  answers  to  the  terms  of  the 
prophetic  description.  For  a  fuller  vindica- 
tion of  this  interpretation,  which  starts  from 
the  position  taken  by  Lightfoot  and  by 
Whitby  (though  not  identical  in  all  points 
with  theirs),  see  the  article  already  cited, 
"Baptist  Quarterly  Review,"  July,  1889,  par- 
ticularly pp.  13-26. 

III.  It  would  be  an  endless  task  to  present 
a  history  of  the  various  interpretations  of  this 
passage  —  first,  those  current  in  the  early 
church,  and  then,  those  that  have  found  ad- 
vocacy in  modern  times,  especially  since  the 
Reformation.  The  views  of  different  inter- 
preters cannot  be  properly  set  forth  without 
some  explanation  of  the  dogmatic  or  critical 
pre-suppositions  by  which  their  interpretations 
are  modified  or  determined.  The  historical  or 
critical  position  of  a  given  writer  will  some- 
times suggest  at  once  the  reason  and  the  ex- 
planation of  his  theory.  It  can  easily  be 
understood,  for  instance,  how  Luther  should 
hold  the  Man  of  Sin  to  represent  the  Papacy, 
or  how  a  modern  critic  like  Kern,  who  sup- 
poses the  Epistle  to  have  been  written  after 
Paul's  death,  should  find  here  nothing  more 
than  a  description  of  Nero.  The  early  Fathers 
generally  regarded  the  prediction  uttered  by 
Paul  in  this  passage  as  one  that  had  not  yet 
been  fulfilled  in  their  time.  "They  all  regard 
the  Adversary  here  described,  as  an  individual 
person,  the  incarnation  and  concentration  of 
sin."     A  sketch,  both  of  earlier  and  of  later 


Ch.  II.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


93 


opinions,  may  be  found  in  Liinemiinn.  See, 
also,  Alford,  "Greek  Testament,"  "Prolego- 
mena to  Second  Thessalonians,"  and  tlie  arli- 
cle  "Antichrist,"  by  Meyrick,  in  Smith's 
"Dictionary  of  the  Bible." 

Since  the  Keformation,  the  favorite  inter- 
pretation among  Protestants  has  ideiititied  the 
Man  of  Sin  with  the  Pope,  or  the  Papacy.  With 
the  English  Reformers  it  was  almost  univers- 
ally an  article  of  faith.  See  the  "Dedication," 
by  the  translators  of  King  James's  Version; 
also  the  "Westminster  Confession  of  Faith," 
chap.  25.  "There  is  no  other  head  of  the 
church  but  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  nor  can 
the  Pope  of  Rome,  in  any  sense,  be  head 
thereof,  but  is  that  Antichrist,  that  Man  of 
Sin  and  Son  of  Perdition,  that  exalteth  him- 
self in  the  church  against  Christ  and  all  that 
is  called  God." 

Among  the  more  recent  advocates  of  this 
view  are  Birks,  Fairbairn,  Elliott,  and  Dr. 
Henry  Grattan  Guinness.  One  indication  of 
its  popularity  is  the  extensive  circulation 
obtained  by  Dr.  Guinness's  book,  "Romanism 
and  the  Reformation."  Bishop  Wordsworth 
vigorously  advocates  the  same  view.  See  his 
"Greek  Testament,"  also  a  small  pamphlet, 
/"Is  the  Papacy  Predicted  by  St.  Paul?" 
/  London,  1880.  In  the  latter,  he  says:  "Al- 
1  though  I  firmly  believe  this  prophecy  to  have 
'  long  since  begun  to  be  fulfilled,  and  to  be  now 
in  course  of  fulfillment  in  the  Roman  Papacy, 
I  do  not  suppose  that  it  has  been  exlinusied  bj' 
the  Papacy,  as  it  now  is.  If  I  might  venture 
to  express  an  opinion  as  to  the  future,  which 
I  do  with  all  reverence,  I  am  inclined  to  be- 
lieve that  the  Roman  Papacy  will  develop 
itself  into  something  worse.  The  impulse 
and  encouragement  which,  by  its  monstrous 
dogmas,  usurpations,  and  superstitions  (revolt- 
ing to  the  intellect  of  Europe),  it  has  given, 
and  is  giving,  to  Infidelity,  leads  to  the  expec- 
tation that  it  will  probably  give  rise  to  the 
appearance  of  some  personal  Enemy  of  God, 
who  will  exhibit  in  all  their  terrible  fullness 
the  features  portrayed  by  St.  Paul,  and  who  ! 
will  be  destroyed  by  the  Second  Coming  of  | 
^Christ."  I 

Now,  while  it  is  true  that  the  history'  of  the  ' 
Papacy  reveals  an  astonishing  likeness,  in  some  ' 
points,  to  the  figure  delineated,  this  view  must,  : 
nevertheless,  be  rejected.  The  Papacy  could  i 
not  have  been  primarily  and  chiefly  in  the  I 


mind  of  the  apostle,  if  we  admit  that  the  re- 
straining power  of  which  bespeaks  ilcnotes  the 
Roman  Imperial  Government.  Tlie  "  Pro- 
testant" interpretation,  .so  called,  has  been 
dispassionately  criticised  by  Pelt  ("Ad.  Thes- 
salun.,  "  pp.  l',)7-2(>4),  Riggenbach,  and  Eadio 
("Commentary  <jn  Thessalonians,"  1887). 

Riggcnbach,  in  Lange's  "Critical,  Doc- 
trinal, and  Ilomiletical  CommrMitary,"  con- 
tinues the  expositi(jn  begun  by  Auberlen,  ami 
adopts,  substantially,  his  view.s.  He  identities 
the  Man  of  Sin  with  "the  Godless,  self-deifying 
ruler  of  worldly  empire" — in  other  words, 
some  imperial  autocrat,  arrogant  and  atlieislic, 
who  is  yet  to  appear.  The  Restraining  Power 
is  the  existing  moral  and  legal  order  in  human 
society.  .  Similarly,  Baumgarten,  Thiersch, 
Luthardt,  Zockler;  also  Alford,  see  below. 

Weiss  ("Biblical  Theology  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament") holds  "the  Apostasy  "  to  be  the  final 
rejection  of  the  gospel  liy  the  Jews,  the  final 
display  of  their  hostility  to  God  and  liis  law. 
The  Man  of  Sin  is  the  pseudo-Messiah  who 
issues  forth  from  and  heads  tliis  apostasj' 
Weiss,  however,  considers  these  earlier  j)re- 
dictions  of  the  apostle  to  be  inconsistent  with 
those  in  the  ninth,  tenth,  and  eleventh  chap- 
ters of  Romans. 

Liinemann  (author  of  the  "  Expnsitiim  of 
First  and  Second  Thessalonians"  in  Meyer's 
"Comtnentary  ")  thinks  that  the  apostle  had 
adopted  erroneous  Jewish  ideas  concerning 
the  coming  of  a  personal  Antichrist,  but  tliat 
he  sets  forth  important  truths  concerning  the 
culmination  of  ungodliness  which  shall  pre- 
cede the  final  Coming  of  the  Lord. 

Alford  scarcely  attempts  to  elucidate  Paul's 
conception,  as  it  was  and  as  his  readers  under- 
stood it,  but  inquires  what  the  future  reality 
is  which  it  represents  to  us.  He  regards  the 
Man  of  Sin  as  "the  final  and  central  en;bodi- 
ment  of  that  lawlessness,  that  resistance  to 
God  and  to  God's  law.  which  has  be(!n,  for 
these  many  centuries,  fermenting  under  the 
crust  of  human  societj',  and  of  which  we  have 
already  witnessed  so  many  partial  and  tenta- 
tive eruptions.  Wjiether  he  is  to  be  expected 
persomiUy,  as  one  individual  embodiment  of 
evil,  we  would  not  dogmatically  pronounce; 
still  we  would  not  forget  that  ho(h  ancient  in- 
terpretation and  the  world's  history  point  tliis 
way.'' 

Dr.   Warfield,   in   an   instructive  scries    of 


94 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  IL 


13  But  we  are  bound  to  give  thanks  always  to  God 
for  you,  bretbreu  beloved  of  tbe  Lord,  because  God 
hath  froiu  the  begiuuiug  chosen  you  to  salvation 
through  sanctificatiou  ol  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the 
truih: 


13  But  we  aie  bound  to  give  thanks  to  God  alway  tor 
you,  brethren  beloved  ol  the  Lord,  for  that  dod  ciiose 
you  '  from  the  begiuuiug  uuto  salvation  iu  sauclilica- 


1  Many  aucieut  auiliorities  read  as  firstfruits. 


papers  in  the  "Expositur,"  1886,  entitled  "Tiie 
Prophecies  of  St.  Piiul,"  ai-gues  that  the  apos- 
tasy "is  obviously  the  great  apostasy  of  the 
Jews"  ;  that  the  Man  of  Sin  is  "the  line  of 
(Roman)  emperors,  considered  as  the  embodi- 
ment of  persecuting  power";  and  that  the 
restraining  power  is  probably  the  Jewish 
state. 

Dr.  Dods  (in  "  Popular  Commentary'  on  the 
New  Testament,"  edited  by  Dr.  Schatf)  says: 
"It  seems  idle  to  speculate  in  what  precise 
form  the  Man  of  Sin  will  appear.  It  is  pos- 
sible that,  as  in  Paul's  day,  the  Jews  were  the 
most  bitter  antagonists  of  the  gospel,  so  it  is 
reserved  for  them  to  exhibit  wickedness  and 
opposition  to  the  truth  in  the  most  aggravated 
form  possible  to  man." 

More  confidently,  Godet:  "Whence  is  such 
a  being  most  likely  to  come?  Evidently  from 
the  midst  of  the  same  people  among  whom  the 
Messiah  himself  ajtpeared.  It  therefore  seems 
to  me  probable  that  the  false  Messiah  will  be 
an  outcome  of  degenerate  Judaism,  and  that 
the  Jewish  nation,  putting  itself  at  the  head  of 
the  great  falling  away,  or  apostasy,  of  Chris- 
tian humanity  toward  the  close  of  its  exist- 
ence, will  then  give  birth  to  its  fixlse  Messiah, 
the  very  ideal  of  man's  natural  heart,  which 
has  rejected  the  true  Christ.  With  a  daring 
impiety,  such  as  can  only  belong  to  him  who 
has  turned  his  back  on  a  holy  destination,  a 
Jew  wonderfully  gifted,  will,  by  raising  the 
standard  of  atheistic  pantheism,  jiroclaim  him- 
self the  Incarnation  of  the  Absolute,  and 
draw  after  him  the  great  mass  of  mankind  b3'^ 
promising  a  golden  age." 

Lillie,  in  his  "Lectures  on  Thessalonians," 
understands  the  prediction  to  point  to  some 
one  man,  "the  recipient  of  all  Satan's  energy, 
in  whom  Satan,  so  to  «peak,  should  become  in- 
carnate, and  thus  bring  to  a  decision  the  long- 
standing feud  between  himselfaiid  the  woman's 
seed."  He  is  incorrect  in  stating  that  exposi- 
tions such  as  Whitby's  vpfitnct  the  prophetical 
character  of  the  description  to  persons  and 
principles  and  events  that  preceded  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem. 


13-17.  Transition  to  the  hortatory  division 
of  the  Epistle;  exhorts  atid  ]}rays  that  they 
may  be  steadfast.  But  3'ou,  beloved  brothers, 
are  not  of  those  who  have  pleasure  in  unright- 
eousness, and  believe  the  lie.  God  has  chosen 
you  to  be  sanctified  and  to  believe  the  truth. 
Therefore  be  steadfast. 

13.  But  we  are  bound  to  give  thanks. 
The  apostle  turns  with  fresh  gratitude  from 
the  view  of  the  unbelieving  world  to  the  elect 
company  of  believers,  who  will  soon  be  listen- 
ing to  the  reading  of  this  letter.  The  transi- 
tion to  a  reiterated  expression  of  personal  joy 
and  thanksgiving  (see  1  :  3  above,  and  com- 
pare 1  Thess.  2  :  13  with  1  :  2)  leads  to  a  slight 
emphasis  upon  the  subject  'we,'  and  the  Greek 
plainly  requires  it,  yet  not  so  as  to  slur  the 
still  more  emphatic  'you'  afterward.  Be- 
Joved  of  the  Lord— the  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
the  name  God  follows  immediately  as  a  dis- 
tinct subject.  But  in  1  Thess.  1  :  4  it  is  "breth- 
ren beloved  of  God." 

Because  God  hath  from  the  beginning 
chosen  you.  Compare  "your  election'"  in 
the  verse  just  cited.  'From  the  beginning' 
is  generally  taken,  in  accordance  with  Paul's 
teaching  elsewhere,  to  mean,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  all  things,  from  eternity.  See  Eph. 
1  :  4,  "even  as  he  chose  us  in  him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world"  ;  also  2  Tim.  1  :  9; 
also  the  use  of  the  phrase  in  1  John  1  :  1,  13. 
Hutchison  objects  to  taking  the  phrase  in  this 
sense,  because  "tliis  choosing  is  represented 
here  by  a  word  (eiAero)  which  is  not  used  in 
the  Pauline  writings  to  signify  the  divine 
election  proper."  But  it  is  so  used  in  the 
Septuagint;  in  various  passages  it  denotes  the 
electing,  preferring  love  of  God,  and  is  suffi- 
cientl}'  often  synonymous  with  the  other  and 
more  frequent  word  (e^aiptw)  to  remove  the 
apparent  objection  to  its  being  taken  in  the 
same  sense  in  the  present  passage.  '  From  the 
beginning'  might,  so  far  as  usage  is  concerned, 
refer  back  to  the  beginningof  the  gospel  work 
in  Thessalonica  (compare  1  John  2  :  24;  2 
John  6),  but  that  reference  is  certainly  less 
suitable  to  the  present  context.     That  begin- 


Ch.  II.] 


II.  THESSALOXIANS. 


95 


14  WheicKiito  be  calletl  you  by  our  gospel,  to  ihc  14  tioii  of  ihei>|)iril  and  '  belief  of  the  truth  :  wbereunto 
OUlaiiiingul   iheKloiy  ul  our  l.nril  .ll■^us  I  Inisl.  i         he  called  vou  lhr..ut;li  our  ^o.^pel,  to  the  obtiiiniiii;  "f 

l.>  lhei<;l..re,  brethieii,  stand  laM,  and  bold  the  tra-  15  the  ylorv'oC  our  Loid  .le>u>  Christ.  So  llun,  l.relh- 
tlitious  which  ye  have  been  taught,  whether  by  word,  or  reii,  stand  faM,  and    hold   the  liaditioii>  which   ye 


our  epistle 

1«  Now  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  God,  even 
our  1-ather,  which  hath  loved  us,  and  bath  given  us 
everlasting  consolation  and  good  hope  through  grace, 


were  tauglit.  whether  by  word,  or  by  epistle  of  ours. 
IG       Now  our  Lord  Jesus  Clinsl   himself,  and  (iodoiir 
Father  who  loved  u»  and  gave  us  eternal  comfort 


ning  was  a  quite  recent  fact.  See  Paul's  Ian-  ' 
guage  at  the  opening  of  Philipiiians,  written 
some  ten  or  eleven  years  after  tlie  establisli- 
ment  of  the  chuicii.  Weiss,  adopting  the 
reading  of  the  margin  of  Revised  Version, 
"as  first  fruits  '  (see  Critical  Notes),  denies 
that  election  is  revealed  in  the  Scriptures  as  a 
pre-temporal  act  of  God.  ("Biblical  The- 
ology of  the  New  Testament,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  3, 
Note.)  To  salvation  through  saiictifica- 
tion  of  the  Spirit,  etc.  'Through'  denotes 
the  means  by  widcli  this  election  to  salvatiiin 
is  to  be  realized ;  the  thought  is  that  you 
should  be  saved  through  the  sanctifying  jiower 
of  the  Spirit,  and  the  believing  approjiriation 
of  the  truth.  1  Thess.  4  :  3,  "  For  this  is  the 
will  of  God,  even  your  sanctificatitm"  (see 
other  references  there).  Faith  in  the  truth  is 
here  viewed  its  a  continuous  iict  of  the  soul, 
and  as  closely  connected  with  the  sanctifying 
Avork  of  the  Spirit. 

14.  VVhereunto— that  is,  'unto  salvation 
through  sam^tification,'  etc.,  of  the  preceding 
clause.  He  called  you  ...  to  the  obtaining. 
The  call  referred  to  has  here,  as  elsewhere  in 
the  writings  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  a  distinctive 
Christian  sense;  it  is  not  merely  a  general  call 
or  invitation,  but  an  efficacious  call.  New 
Testament  exegesis  is  clear  and  decided  on 
this  point.  "It  is  the  divine  act  of  grace 
through  which  God  effectually  calls  the  elect 
to  faith,  and  thereby  to  participation  in  the 
fellowshi])  of  salvation."  (Weiss,  "  Biblical 
Theology  of  the  New  Testament,"  Vol.  I.,  p. 
296.)  "Calling,  in  the  phraseology  of  Paul,  is 
not  a  mere  invitation  or  exhorttition  addressed 
to  an  individual  in  the  name  of  God,  by  the 
medium  of  an  apostle  or  other  messenger,  and 
to  which  m.in  may  or  may  not  respond,  ac- 
cording to  the  disposition  of  the  moment. 
Doubtless  apostolic  preaching  is  the  most 
ordinary  outward  medium,  through  which  the 
knowleclge  of  the  gospel  is  brought  to  men  or 
by  which  God  is  placed  in  connection  with  the 
individual.     The  very  term   calling  is    bor- 


rowed from  this  mode  of  communication,  and 
does  not  prejudice  in  any  way  the  eH'cct  which 
it  may  naturally  produce.  But  the  theological 
meaning  of  the  term  is  far  from  being  thus 
exhausted.  To  this  outward  invitation  thero 
is  added,  as  an  invariable  and  essential  clement, 
a  corresponding  inward  feeling  produced  di- 
rectly by  the  contact  of  the  soul  with  God. 
Calling,  in  the  sense  in  which  Paul  uses  it, 
cannot  fail  or  remain  ineffectual."  (Keuss, 
"History  of  Christian  Theology  in  the  Apos- 
tolic Age,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  108,  109.)  Of  the 
glory  of  our  Lord— of  that  glory  into  which 
our  Lord  has  entered.     See  John  17  :  22. 

15.  Therefore— the  instant  dedtiction  of  the 
believing  heart  from  these  briefly  sketched 
foundation  truths  of  faith— God's  electing  love, 
and  effectual  calling  into  Christ's  glory.  Such 
truths  are  ever  the  shelter  of  the  saints, 

"  When  storms  of  sharp  distress  invade." 

As  Paul  says  elsewhere:  "The  firm  founda- 
tion of  God  standeth,  having  this  seal :  The 
Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his."  (2  Tim.  a :  i». 
Rev.  vcr.)  Here  he  exhorts  his  readers,  keeping 
to  their  'belief  of  the  truth,'  to  stand  fast 
and  hold  the  traditions — rather,  the  in- 
structions. 'Tradition,'  as  generally  used, 
implies  oral  transmission  from  one  age  to  an- 
other, or  through  a  considerable  period  of 
time.  The  Greek  word  {irapdSoiTi^)  used  here 
plainly  refers  to  personal  instructions,  whether 
orally  or  by  writing.  The  Thessalonian 
Church  had  no  'traditions'  at  all  in  the  ordi- 
nary sense  of  the  word.  They  had  the  Old 
Testament  Scriptures,  and  the  jiersonal  teach- 
ing of  the  apostles  who  had  visited  them  ;  the 
latter,  which,  however,  took  tip  into  itself  the 
former,  constituted  the  instrtictions  to  which 
Paul  refers.  Or  our  epistle— the  first  to  this 
church,  written  several  months  before. 

16,  17.  Now  our  Lord  Jesus  himself, 
and  God  our  Father,  etc.  This  petition 
brings  to  a  close  the  second  and  principal 
division  of  the  letter;  similarly,  1  Thess.  3:  11- 


96 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  III. 


17  Comfort  your  hearts,  and  stablish   you  iu  every  !  17  and  good  hope  through  grace,  comfort  your  hearts 
good  word  and  work.  I        aud  stablish  iheui  iu  every  good  worl£  aud  word. 


CHAPTER  III. 


FINALLY,  brethren,  pray  for  us,  that  the  word  of  the 
Lord  luay  have //ee  course,  aud  be  glorified,  eveu 
as  it  is  with  you  : 


1      Finally,  brethren,  pray  for  us,  that  the  word  of 
the  Lord  may  run  and  be  glorified,  eveu  as  also  it  in 


13.  Compare  also  the  prayers,  1  Thess.  5  :  23; 
2  Tliess.  3  :  16.  These  outbreathings  of  jjrayer 
are  not  insertions.  They  do  not  interrupt  the 
thought,  but  spring  from  it,  and  blend  insep- 
arably with  it.  Every  page  of  Paul's  writings 
is  fragrant  with  the  incense  of  prayer — the 
language  of  a  soul  manifestly  living  in  con- 
stant communion  with  its  (lod. 

It  is  observable  th:it  Jesus  is  first  named, 
then  God  the  Father,  both  being  united  as  the 
one  subject  of  a  verb  in  the  singular.  So  also 
in  1  Tiiess.  3  :  11,  only  that  there  "our  God 
and  Father"  is  placed  first.  "  Herein  shines 
the  divinity  of  Christ;  it  is  not  possible  that 
the  name  of  any  man  could  be  so  often  joined 
with  the  name  of  God."  (Riggenbach.)  Which 
hath  loved  us.  'Which'  (properly,  "who") 
is  usually  and  preferably  taken  as  referring 
to  the  nearest  subject,  'God  our  Father';  so 
Ellicott,  Alford,  Liinemann,  and  the  punc- 
tuation of  the  Revised  Version.  Lillie  refers 
it  to  both  'Jesus'  and  'God.'  Everlasting 
consolation  (or,  eternal  comfort)— not  the 
transient,  delusive  comfort  derived  from 
worldly  sources,  but  that  which  abides  and  is 
l)erennial.  God,  to  his  people,  is  "the  God 
of  all  comfort."  (2Cor.  i:3.)  From  him  has 
come  into  the  heart  of  the  believer  the  per- 
sonal Comforter,  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  ever- 
lasting ministrations.  See  John  14  :  16:  "And 
I  will  pray  the  Father  and  he  shall  give  you 
another  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with 
you  forever^  'Comfort'  as  a  rendering  of 
the  Greek  word  (rrapdKArjo-ii';  in  the  next  verse 
occurs  the  corres|)onding  verb)  is  preferable 
t>)  'consolation'  in  the  Common  Version.  It 
is  derived  from  the  Latin  confortnre  (fortis, 
strong),  to  strengthen,  support,  and  in  earlier 
English  frequently  had  this  positive,  large 
sense.  It  is  not  the  precise  equivalent  of 
the  Greek  word  (wapaKXriaiv) ,  for  each  has  a 
considerable  area  of  meaning  peculiarly  its 
own;  still  it  is,  in  many  passages,  the  best 
rendering  of  that  word.  It  implies  more 
than  the  merely  external  condition  of  enjoy- 
ment, exemption  from  annoyance,  or  even  re- 


lief from  affliction  ;  these  are  later  and  lesser 
meanings.  To  comfort  originally  was  to  im- 
part strength,  fortitude,  cheerful  energy,  and 
in  many  New  Testament  passages  the  word 
should  be  understood  in  this  sense. 

In  these  days,  when  materialistic  science 
declares  God  unknowable,  and  historical 
rationalism  knows  him  only  under  the  cold 
abstraction,  "a  power,  nt)t  ourselves,  that 
makes  for  righteousness,"  this  utterance  of 
the  great  apostle:  "  God  our  Father  who  hath 
loved  us  and  given  us  eternal  comfort  and 
good  hope  through  grace,"  becomes  invested 
with  fresh  significance,  and  goes  forth  among 
the  hearts  of  men  upon  a  new  mission  from 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

Good  hope — "a  hope  that  maketh  not 
ashamed."  (Rom. 5:5.)  Compare  also  Titus  2:13: 
"The  blessed  hope  and  appearing  of  our  great 
God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ."  Through 
grace — ^join  with  "hath  given."  'Comfort' 
and  'hope'  are  gifts  that  belong  pre-eminently 
to  the  reign  of  grace.  Comfort  your  hearts 
— greatly  needed  by  the  persecuted,  struggling 
church,  with  "fightings  without,"  and  within 
the  alternating  hopes  and  fears  peculiar  to 
these  inexperienced  beginners  in  fjiith,  not 
veterans  yet,  much  needing  to  be  established. 
Stablish.  See  3 :  3,  below  ;  also  1  Thess.  3:2. 
Bring  your  Christian  life  to  maturity  and 
strength. 

Ch.  3.   Closing  Exhortations. 

1-5.  We  are  continually  praying  for  you; 
pray  for  us.  Pray  for  the  extension  and  tri- 
umph of  our  gospel,  and  for  our  deliverance 
from  its  enemies.  Enemies  to  the  faith,  alas, 
there  are,  but  the  Lord  will  be  faithful  to  j'ou. 
He  will  deliver  j'ou  from  the  Evil  One,  will 
enable  you  to  be  obedient,  and  vouchsafe  love 
and  patient  endurance. 

1.  Finally — introducing  the  last  division  as 
in  the  previous  letter — brethren,  pray  for  us. 
The  order  of  the  original,  prai/,  brethren,  for 
U.1,  lends  additional  emphasis  to  the  verb 
'  Us,'   namely,  the  writer,  with  Silvanus  and 


Ch.  III.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


97 


2  And  that  we  may  be  delivcreil  from  iinrcasouuble 
and  wicked  men:  for  all  incn  have  imt  failli. 

3  But  the  Lord  is  faithful,  who  shall  siubliiih  you,  and 
keep  i/ou  from  evil. 


2  with  you;  and  that  we  may  be  delivered  from  un- 
reasonable  and   evil   men:    for   all    have   not    faith. 

3  But   the    Lord  is   fuiihlul,  who  shall   slublish   you, 


Timothy.  The  ssinie  request,  in  fuller,  em- 
phatic form, as  in  the  previous  letter.  (5:-25.)  The 
unceasing  impulse  to  prayer  which  he  felt  fur 
those  to  whom  he  wrote;  the  sense  of  its  effi- 
cacy and  its  constant  necessity  which  mark 
Paul's  letters,  lead  him  also  to  seek  the  prayer 
of  his  brethren.  See  Rom.  15  :  30;  Col.  4:3: 
Eph.  6  :  18,  19.  Compare  also  Philem.  22. 
Tills  oft-repeated  request  comes  from  the  apos- 
tle with  the  force  of  a  precept  (from  the 
apostle,  and  from  the  Lord  whose  word  he 
spoke).  The  duty  is  imperative,  perpetual, 
and  special,  to  pray  for  the  minister  of  the 
word.  The  passages  cited  show  how  promi- 
nent it  is  made  among  the  duties  which  de- 
volve upon  the  members  of  a  church.  Pauls 
conviction  of  its  efficacy  comes  out  in  such 
passages  as  2  Cor.  1:11;  Phil.  1  :  19.  On  the 
obligation  to  still  wider  intercessions,  see  2 
Tim.  2  :  1  and  James  5  :  13-18. 

"  More  things  are  wrought  by  prayer 
Than  this  world  dreams  of.    Wherefore  let  thy  voice 
Rise  like  a  fountain  for  me  night  and  day. 
For  what  are  men  better  than  sheep  or  goats 
That  nourish  a  blind  life  within  the  brain, 
If,  knowing  God,  they  lift  not  hands  of  prayer 
Both  for  themselves  and  those  who  call  them  friend? 
For  so  the  whole  round  earth  is  every  way 
Bound  by  gold  chains  about  the  feet  of  God." 

The  word  of  the  Lord — as  in  1  Thess. 
1:  8,  equivalent  to  "the  gospel  of  God."  May 
have  free  course — spread  rapidly;  that  it 
may  not  be  bound  (2  Tim.  2  :  9,  "  But  the  word 
of  God  is  not  bound"),  nor  be  hindered  in  its 
progress.  Compare  Ps.  147  :  15,  "  He  sendeth 
out  his  commandment  upon  earth;  his  word 
runneth  very  swiftly."  Be  glorified— have 
its  power  and  glory  manifested  in  the  salvation 
of  men.  Even  as  it  is  with  you.  This 
clause  is  probably  to  be  taken  with  both  of 
the  preceding  verbs;  it  is  so  punctuated  in  the 
Revised  Version,  and  so  understood  by  Elli- 
cott  and  most  interpreters.  Liincmann  con- 
nects it  with  'glorified.' 


fanatical  Jews  of  Corinth,  "who  opposed 
themselves  and  blasphemed,"  and  "with  one 
accord  rose  up  against  Paul  and  brought  him 
before  the  jungtnent  seat"  of  Gailio.  See 
Acts  18  :  5-17,  which  furnishessoapt  a  framing 
of  the  apostle's  words,  that  it  might  well  have 
been  written  as  a  historical  foot-note  of  this 
verse.  Compare  also  1  Thess.  2  :  15,  16,  and 
notes  there.  Some,  however,  understand /rt/se 
brethren  in  the  Corinthian  Church  to  be  spoken 
of  (so  Zwingli,  and  among  recent  writers, 
Hutchison).  For  all  men  have  not  faith — 
expressive  of  the  feeling  suggested  by  the  ob- 
stinate opposition  of  these  eneniies  of  the 
gospel,  in  contrast  with  the  previous,  'even  as 
it  is  with  you';  "for  it  is  not  all,  alas,  who 
have  the  faith,"  or,  "who  are  of  the  faith." 
The  marginal  reading  preferred  by  the  English 
Revisers  retains  the  article  before  '  ftiith  '  in 
order  to  indicate  explicitly  thtit  the  writer  is 
speaking  of  faith  in  the  definite.  Christian 
sense;  as  if  to  say:  for  all  iiave  not  believed 
the  gospel,  'the  word  of  the  Lord'  just  spoken 
of  in  the  first  verse. 

The  substance  of  this  praj'er  wliich  Paul 
will  have  his  brethren  make  for  him  deserves 
attention:  it  is  not  for  'us'  personally,  he 
seems  to  say,  either  our  present  safety,  or 
even  our  spiritual  welfare,  but  our  message, 
and  the  cause  we  represent.  How  thoroughly 
Paul  identifies  himself  with  his  mission  is 
shown  bj'  the  spontaneous  change  of  subject; 
that  the  icord  may  be  glorified  and  that  we 
may  be  delivered;  that  is,  that  the  "word" 
may  not  "be  bound,"  to  borrow  the  antithesis 
cited  above  from  2  Timothy.  Again,  we  ob- 
serve that  the  first  petition  is  positive — for  the 
spread  of  the  gospel,  its  promotion  extensii^ely, 
and  for  its  glorification,  its  promotion  inten- 
sively. The  second  is  negative,  that  its  ene- 
mies may  not  prevail  against  it. 

3.    But    the    Lord    is    faithful.      Better, 
following    the;    order    of    the    (J reek,    faith- 
ful,  however,   is   the   Lord,   for  the   opening 
2.  And    that  we   may   be    delivered— a    word  'faithful'  is  evidently  suggested  by  the 


second  special  petition  in  behalf  of  Paul  and 
his  companions  in  Corinth.  From  unreason- 
able and  wicked  men.  Among  these  per- 
verse and   wicked   men   were    doubtless    the 


last  word  of  the  previous  .sentence.  The  apos- 
tle reverts  once  more  to  their  condition  and 
needs,  and  with  winning  courtesy  and  tender- 
ness he  prepares  the  way,  in  this  and  the  foi- 


98 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  III. 


4  And  we  have  confidence  in  the  Lord  touching  you, 
that  ye  both  do  and  will  do  the  things  which  we  com- 
liiand  you. 

5  And  the  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into  the  love  of 
God,  and  into  the  patient  waiting  tor  Christ. 

6  Now  we  command   you,  brethren,  in  the  name  of 


4  and  guard  you  from  '  the  evil  one.  And  we  have 
coutiueiice  in  the  Lord  touching  you,  that  ye  both 

5  do  and  will  do  the  things  which  we  command.  And 
the  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into  the  love  of  God,  and 
into  the  ■  patience  of  Christ. 

6  Now  we  command  you,  brethren,  in  the  name  of 


1  Or,  evil '2  Or,  sttdfastnesa. 


lowing  two  verses,  for  the  specific  commands 
required  b^'  the  existing  exigencies  of  the 
cliurch.  We  may  paraphrase  tlie  transition 
thus:  "Ail  have  not  faith  ;  but  yow  are  of  the 
faith,  and  the  faitliful  Christ  will  establish  you 
therein."  Compare  2  Tim.  2  :  13 :  "If  we  are 
faithless,  he  abideth  faithful;  for  he  cannot 
deny  himself";  also  1  Thess.  5:24.  And 
keep  you  from  evil  (or,  the  evil  one).  The 
Common  Version  takes  the  noun  as  neuter. 
But  see  the  references  to  Satan  in  1  Thess. 
2  :  18;  3:5;  2  Thess.  2  :  9.  These  favor  the 
translation  in  the  Revised  Version.  Compare 
also  the  probably  correct  rendering  ("the  evil 
one")  of  the  same  term  in  the  Lord's  Prayer 
and  John  17  :  15 ;  1  John  2:13;  5  :  18. 

4.  He  will  stablish  and  keep  you;  but  that 
implies  on  your  part  obedience ;  and  as  to  this, 
we  have  confidence  in  the  Lord — a  confi- 
dence, not  in  you  onlj',  but  in  him  "who 
worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  work,  for 
his  good  pleasure"  ;  a  confidence  that  he  has 
heard  and  will  hear  our  prayers,  and  that  "  he 
•who  began  a  good  work  in  you  will  perfect  it 
until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."  (Ptii,  1:6.)  It  is 
an  assurance  founded  on  love  and  faith,  not 
the  prediction  of  a  revealed  fact.  The  things 
which  we  command — commands  already 
given,  some  of  them  to  be  repeated  in  the  fol- 
lowing paragraph.     See  ver.  6. 

5.  And  the  Lord — the  Lord  Jesus,  as  usu- 
ally in  Paul's  writings.  There  is  no  sufficient 
reason  for  supposing,  with  Theoph3-lact  and 
some  of  the  Fathers,  with  Wordsworth  also, 
and  Blunt,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  specifically 
meant.  Direct  your  hearts  into  the  love  of 
God — lead  you  into  loving  God  and  into  pos- 
sessing his  love.  Interpreters  diverge  on  the 
question  whether  Paul  here  speaks  of  God  as 
source  or  object.  For  the  former,  Olshausen, 
Kiggenbach,  Pelt;  for  the  latter,  De  Wette, 
Liinemann,  Alford,  Ellicott,  Lillie,  Hutchi- 
son. But  is  not  the  distinction  quite  foreign 
to  his  thought  in  a  passage  like  this?  The 
primary  and  prevailing  sense  of  the  phrase 
'love  of  God'  in  Paul's  writings  is  the  love 
which  God   has  and   bestows — the   iiifl(jwins: 


current  of  redeeming  love,  as  well  as  the  out- 
flowing emotion  of  the  believer's  heart.  Com- 
pare Rom.  5:5;  8  :  35;  8  :  39;  15  :  30;  2  Cor. 
13  :  14;  Eph.  3  :  19;  and  with  these  passages, 
John  17  :  26,  "that  the  love  wherewith  thou 
lovedst  me  may  be  in  them,  and  I  in  them." 
Thus  love  in  the  Christian  is  an  energy  within 
him,  but  whose  source  is  without  him;  a  cur- 
rent streaming  forth  toward  God,  believers, 
and  all  men,  but  depending  for  its  supply 
upon  the  exhaustless  fountain  in  the  hettrt  of 
Christ.  Accordingly,  Paul  writes  to  the  Phil- 
ippians:  "I  long  after  you  all  in  the  bowels 
(or,  heart)  of  Christ  Jesus,"  and  exhorts  them 
to  be  "having  the  same  love."  (Phii. 2:a.)  The 
patient  waiting  for  Christ — literally,  the 
patience  (or,  endurance)  of  Christ.  We  are  to 
have  Chrisfs  endurance;  namely,  such  as  he 
possessed,  shown  in  his  sufferings,  and  such  as 
he  will  bestow  upon  believers  in  theirs.  Notice 
that  'love'  and  'endurance'  are  also  linked 
together  in  the  opening  of  the  First  Epistle. 

6-10.  Specijic  apostolic  commands.  We 
hear  of  disorder  among  you.  Certain  of  your 
members  have  discontinued  their  quiet  daily 
labor,  and  have  become  religious  busybodies. 
This  is  contrary  to  our  express  instructions, 
which  we  took  pains  to  enforce  by  example. 
We  command  you  to  withdraw  from  these 
disturbers  of  the  church's  good  order.  Be  not 
weary  yourselves  in  daily  well-doing,  and  for 
a  time  exclude  from  your  fellowship  those  dis- 
turbers.    Yet  count  them  brothers  still. 

6.  Command  you— commands  of  which  he 
had  just  given  an  intimation  in  ver.  4.  Very 
marked  in  this  Epistle,  as  contrasted  with  the 
first,  is  the  tone  of  authority.  Notice  'obey' 
in  ver.  14,  and  the  four  times  reiterated  'com- 
mand' in  this  chapter.  Growing  irregulari- 
ties called  for  disciplinary  treatment,  which 
Paul  in  Christ's  name  now  requires  the  church 
to  apply.  He  was  invested  as  an  apostle  with 
authority  and  with  power.  His  authority  was 
not  arbitrary  or  despotic,  but  bestowed  for 
initiating  and  perfecting  the  organization  of 
churches;  see  2  Cor.  3:10,  "the  authority 
which  the  Lord  gave  me  for  building  up"; 


Ch.  III.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


99 


our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  withdraw  yourselves 
Irom  c'Viry  brotla'r  tlial  walketli  disorderly,  aud  uol 
after  the  IruUitiuu  wLiich  lie  reeeived  of  us.  1 


our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  yc  withdraw  yourselves 
Iruui  every  brother  that  walkelh  disorderly,  and 
uol  after  the  traditiuu  which  'they  received  of  us. 


I  Soaie  aucieoi  •attaorittes  rend  ye. 


compare  also  2  Cor.  10  :  8.  It  was  asserted 
not  in  his  own  name,  but  e-xpressly  in  the 
name  of  Clirist,  as  in  the  present  instance.  It 
referred  buclc  to  commands,  received  directly 
from  Clirist,  and  wjis  attested  on  occasions  by 
the  exercise  of  prophetic  and  miraculous  pow- 
ers. It  was  an  authority  to  be  enforced  also, 
if  necessary.  "For  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
not  in  word,  but  in  power.  What  will  ye? 
Shall  I  come  unto  you  with  a  rod,  or  in  love 
and  a  spirit  of  meekness?"  (i  Cor.  * -.  20,  n.)  See 
also  1  Cor.  5  :  3,  4.  The  case  of  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  had  shown  at  an  early  date  in  tiie 
church's  history  that  the  apostolic  authority 
was  not  addressed  to  the  reason  merely,  but 
might  and  would  be  sui»eriiatiirally  enforced. 
In  the  name  ot  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ — 
it  is  not  I  who  command  you,  but  Jesus;  com- 
pare 1  Thess.  4  :  2,  "commands  we  gave  you 
through  the  Lord  Jesus";  also  ver.  lo  of  the 
same  chapter.  Withdraw  yourselves — evi- 
dently addressed  to  the  church,  to  the  whole 
membership;  there  seems  to  be  no  reason 
whatever  for  concluding,  with  Olsluiusen,  that 
it  is  the  elders  who  are  primarily  addressed. 
Separation  from  the  offenders  is  enjoined;  as 
repeated  below,  "have  no  company  with" 
them.  That  this  does  not  necessarily  imply 
formal  excommunication  by  vote  of  the 
church  is  undoubtedly  true.  Still  it  would 
be  a  suspension  from  the  fellowship  and 
privileges  of  the  church,  whether  or  not  it 
took  place  by  a  formal  act.  See  an  ex- 
hortation, not  an  express  command,  in  Rom. 
16:  17:  "Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  mark 
them  which  are  causing  the  divisions  and  occa- 
sions of  stumbling,  contrary  to  the  doctrine 
which  ye  learned,  and  turn  away  from  them." 
Observe  that  in  the  present  case  a  sterner  treat- 
ment is  enjoined  than  in  the  previous  letter,  it 
being  there  only,  "admonish  the  disorderly." 
(1  The.«.  5: 14.)  From  cvcry  brother — the  pre- 
cepts of  this  section  relate  entirely  to  duties  to 
Christian  brethren,  to  those  within  the  church. 
Toward  these,  as  cannot  be  the  case  toward 
those  without,  it  is  pometimes  necessary  for  a 
church  to  take  positive  and  decisive  judicial 
action ;  on  this  point  see,  more  fully,  1  Cor.  &  : 


9-13;  also  compare  1  Thess.  4  :  12;  Col.  4  :  5. 
Disorderly — a  word  used  only  in  these  two 
epistles,  once  in  1  Thess.  5  :  14,  and  throe 
times  in  the  present  section.  In  the  Greek  it 
is  either  the  adjective  (araicTot),  or  a  derivative 
from  the  same.  It  is  primarily  a  military 
word  (like  our  tactics),  and  describes  a  soldier 
who  is  out  of  line,  who  leaves  his  proper  place 
in  the  ranks,  and  is  insubordinate.  The  spe- 
cific application  in  the  present  passage  ajjpears 
plainly  from  what  follows.  It  designates  not 
lawless  disturbers  of  the  community,  not  ci>n- 
tentious  or  quarrelsome  persons,  not  the  in- 
tentionally vicious.  Nor  is  the  reference 
here  to  violations  of  order  in  the  meetings, 
or  in  the  public  worship  of  the  church.  It  is 
those  'that  work  not  at  all,  but  are  busy- 
bodies' —  persons  who,  instead  of  minding 
their  own  business,  "bustle  about,"  as  Kiggen- 
bach  puts  it,  "in  fanatical  idleness."  They 
neglected  daily  labor,  became,  or  were  liable 
to  become,  dependents  upon  their  brethren, 
left  their  posts  of  daily  duty,  and  betook 
themselves  to  religious  gossip  and  star-gazing. 
This  disorderly  sort  of  a  religion  was  not  alto- 
gether a  surprising  jjlienomenon.  It  sprang 
partly  from  a  misunderstanding,  partly  froiu 
a  perversion,  of  the  instructions  received  from 
Paul  himself.  If  the  Lord  was  near,  and  tlio 
Great  Day  was  ere  long  to  dawn,  or  liad  in- 
deed already  begun,  the  temptation  was  great 
to  live  at  random,  and  give  over  methodical  in- 
dustry. The  ready  beneficence  that  prevailed 
in  the  early  churches  would  enhance  the  temp- 
tation. But  the  general  safety  was  endangered 
by  these  stragglers  from  the  ranks,  no  matter 
how  well  meaning  or  sincf^re.  Disorganization, 
it  is  pliiin,  wiis  threatening  the  little  Christian 
community  in  Thessalonica.  Order  must  be 
restored,  and  that  by  obedience  to  the  api>8- 
tolic  precept  and  example.  For  in  the  first 
place  the  course  of  these  brethren  was  con- 
trary to  the  apostle's  express  instruction.  Not 
nrter  the  tradition,  etc. —better,  instruction. 
i  See  note  ojt  2  :  15,  referring,  not  merely  to  the 
I  instruction  given  oralh'  during  his  stay  in 
I  Thes>alonica,  but  in  writing  subsequently. 
'  In  the  iirst  letter  he  had  written  emphatically 


100 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  hi. 


7  For  yo'irselves  know  how  ye  ought  to  follow  us: 
for  we  behaved  not  ourselves  disorderly  amoug  you  ; 

8  Neither  did  we  eat  any  man's  bread  for  uought;  but 
wrought  with  labour  and  iravail  night  and  day,  that 
■we  might  not  be  chargeable  to  any  of  you : 

9  Not  becuuse  we  have  not  power,  but  to  make  our- 
selves an  ensaiiiple  unto  you  to  follow  us. 

10  Fur  even  when  we  were  with  you,  this  we  com- 
manded you,  that  if  any  would  not  work,  neither  should 
he  eat. 


7  For  yourselves  know  how  ye  ought  to  imitate  us: 
for  we  behaved  not  ourselves  disorderly  among  you  ; 

8  neither  did  we  eat  bread  for  nought  at  any  man's 
hand,  but  in  labour  and  travail,  working  night  and 

9  day,  that  we  might  not  burden  any  of  you:  not  be- 
cause we  have  not  the  right,  but  to  make  ourselves 
an  ensample  unto  you,  tliat  ye  should  imitate  us. 

10  For  even  when  we  were  with  you,  this  we  com- 
manded you.  If  any  will  not  work,  neither  let  him 


upon  this  ver^' point:  "and  that  ye  study  to 
be  quiet,  and  to  do  your  own  business,  and  to 
work  with  your  hands  even  as  we  charged 
you." 

7.  Know  how  ye  ought  to  follow  {imitate) 
us.  Know,  in  other  words,  what  example 
was  set  for  their  imitation ;  that  they  were 
bound  to  imitate  that  example  Paul  assumes 
his  readers  to  know.  Behaved  not  ourselves 
disorderly — that  is,  in  the  sense  explained 
above.  The  life  they  had  led  there  had  been 
one  of  constant,  regular  labor  and  service. 
See  the  review  of  tiiis  period  of  his  ministry 
given  in  1  Thess.  2  :  1-12. 

8.  Neither  did  we  eat  any  man's  bread 
for  nought.  Tor  nought' — that  is,  without 
paying  for  it ;  we  did  not  live  at  any  other 
man's  expense.  The  apostle  adopted  the  same 
course  with  most  other  churches.  From  the 
church  at  Philippi,  on  several  occasions,  both 
previous  to  this  letter  and  afterward,  he  re- 
ceived pecuniary  support,  but  he  notes  it  as  an 
exception  to  his  usual  procedure,  (i  hu.  *:  is.) 
See  also  the  notes  on  1  Thess.  2  :  9,  where  he 
uses  the  same  language  as  here.  He  mentions 
two  motives  for  adopting  this  course:  first,  in 
order  not,  without  necessity,  to  be  a  burden 
upon  others — and  these  in  Thessalonica,  it  is 
to  be  remembered,  were  themselves  suffering 
from  poverty  and  persecution ;  second,  as 
stated  in  ver.  9,  he  would  train  his  converts  in 
habits  of  Christian  industry.  It  had  another 
object  also,  alluded  to  elsewhere;  namely,  to 
preclude  suspicion  of  mercenary  motives,  and 
emphatically  to  give  the  lie  to  the  slanders 
which  his  enemies  were  ever  ready  to  circu- 
late. 

9.  Not  because  we  have  not  power,  or, 
the  right  (i^ovaia),  'Right'  is  here  the  proper 
translation,  as  also  in  Heb.  13: 10;  Kev.  22: 14; 
1  Cor.,  chap.  9,  throughout.  Noyes,  "author- 
ity." It  was  his  'right,'  Paul  reminds  them, 
to  put  the  burden  of  liis  support  upon  them,  a 
point  he  insists  on  at  length  in  his  first  letter 
to  the  Corinthians,  just  cited.     "  What  soldier 


ever  serveth  at  his  own  charges?"  "If  we 
sowed  unto  you  spiritual  things,  is  it  a  great 
matter  if  we  shall  reap  your  carnal  things?'' 
"Nevertheless  we  did  not  use  this  right;  but 
we  bear  all  things,  that  we  may  cause  no  hin- 
drance to  the  gospel  of  Christ."  The  right 
of  maintenance  is  the  point  here.  Another 
personal  right  that  he  forebore  to  assert,  when 
the  welfare  of  the  cause  of  Christ  did  not  re- 
quire it,  is  referred  to  in  the  Fir.st  Epistle  to 
the  Thessalonians  (2:fi);  namely,  the  right  to 
marked  deference  and  honor  as  the  bearer  of 
apostolic  rank.  In  such  ways  Paul  illustrated 
by  example  the  forbearance  inculcated  in  his 
precepts.  See  Phil.  4:5:  "  Let  your  forbear- 
ance be  known  unto  all  men";  also  Rom. 
14  :  19,  and  its  context.  He  too,  however, 
could  demand  his  rights  when  the  honor  of 
his  Master's  name  was  concerned,  or  the 
success  of  the  gospel — for  instance,  at  Phil- 
ippi.    Compare  Acts  16  :  37. 

10.  For  even  when  we  were  with  you. 
'  For '  continues  the  thought  of  ver.  7  :  "  You 
yourselves  know — it  is  not  a  new  command, 
for,"  etc.  If  any  would  (rather,  will)  not 
work,  etc. — a  proverb  among  Pagans  and 
Jews  both,  but  in  this  connection  it  is  a  si)e- 
cific  command  with  reference  to  the  admin- 
istration of  the  church.  It  had  to  do  partic- 
ularly with  the  management  of  Christian 
beneficence.  Those  who  were  unable  to  work 
were  entitled  to  support ;  those  who  refused  to 
work,  even  if  they  alleged  religious  pretexts, 
should  not  be  maintained  by  the  charity  of 
their  brethren.  The  precept  may  have  seemed 
harsh  in  its  application  to  particular  cases, 
but  it  is  not  difllicult  to  perceive  its  importance 
for  the  healthi'  life  and  growth  of  the  church 
in  this  formative  period.  Bengel  singularly 
misses  the  point  in  regarding  this  not  so  much 
a  command  to  the  church,  as  the  logical  pre- 
mise of  an  implied  exhortation  to  the  offenders ; 
he  completes  it  thus:  "  But  every  man  eats, 
therefore  let  him  labor."  The  exact  force  of 
the  command  should  be   noticed,   to    guard 


Ch.  III.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


101 


11  For  we  hear  that  there  are  some  which  walk  among 
you  diiorderly,  working  uul  at  all,  but  are  busybo.lies. 

12  Now  them  that,  aie  such  we  command  auJ  exhort 
by  our  l.ord  Jesus  Christ,  that  with  quietness  they 
work,  and  eat  their  own  bread. 

JS  But  ye,  brethren,  be  not  weary  in  well  doing. 

14  And  if  any  man  obey  not  our  word  by  this  epistle. 


11  eat.     For  we  hoar  of  some  that  walk  among  vou  dis- 
orderly, that  work   not   at  all,  but   are   busybodies. 

12  Now  them  that  are  such   we  command  and  exhort 
in   the   Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  with  quit-tness  they 

13  work,  and  eat  their  own  bread.    Hut  ye,  brethren, 

14  be  not  weary  in  well-doing.    And  if  any  man  obey- 


against  a  misapplication.  Paul  does  not  say, 
whoever  does  not  work  shall  not  eat;  but 
whoever  will  not  work. 

As  to  the  view  taken  in  the  early  church  of 
the  important  matter  of  labor  in  its  relation 
to  beneficence,  see  Uhlhorn's  "Christian 
Charity  in  the  Ancient  Church,"  pp.  134-1:56. 

11.  For  we  hear.  This  verse  explains  the 
situation,  and  is  the  key  to  the  whole  passage. 
Paul,  before  leaving  Thessalonica,  had  seen 
indications  of  impatience,  restlessness,  and 
perhaps  laziness  on  the  part  of  a  few.  lie  now 
hears  that  these  are  working  not  at  all,  but 
are  busybodies— idleness  and  mischief-mak- 
ing meddlesomeness  went  hand  in  hand.  See 
1  Tim.  5  :  13.     So  AVatts: 

"But  Satan  finds  some  mischief  still 
For  idle  hands  to  do." 

There  is  a  word-play  in  the  Greek  {ii-i\iiv  cp- 
ya^oiiivov:,  olKKo.  n-epiepyalo/u.ei'out)  wliich  Can  Scarce- 
ly be  reproduced  in  Engl  isli.  Jowett  renders: 
"busy  only  with  what  is  not  their  own  busi- 
ness"; Conybeare :  "busybodies  who  do  no 
business." 

The  evil  was  not  a  doctrinal  heresy,  not  a 
flagrant  vice,  but  a  disorder.  All  the  condi- 
tions favored  the  rise  and  spread  of  such  dis- 
orders among  the  new  converts.  In  a  Pagan 
community  manual  labor  was  not  honored, 
but  looked  upon  with  contempt  as  unworthy 
of  a  free  man.  It  was  to  be  resorted  to  only 
under  the  pressure  of  necessity.  Now  if  the 
hoped-for  deliverance  was  near,  if  the  King 
was  just  about  to  come,  vi\\y  carry  on  business 
and  provide  for  the  future,  as  had  been  their 
wont?  Why  should  not  the  wealthier  breth- 
ren put  their  property  into  a  common  fund 
sufficient  to  support  them  all  during  the  short 
remaining  interval  ?  It  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at  that  some  among  these  ostracized,  perse- 
cuted, poverty-stricken  converts  yielded  to 
the  obvious  temptation  of  the  hour,  and  became 
restless,  impatient,  "weary  in  well  doing." 

12.  Such  we  command  and  exhort.  The 
'some'  referred  to  above  are  here  directly 
addressed.     They  would,  of  course,  be  present 


when  the  letter  was  read  to  the  assembled 
church.     By   (in)   the   Lord  Jesus   Christ 

(see  1  Thess.  4:  1)  "we  beseech  and  exhort 
you  in  the  Lord  Jesus,"  and  the  note  there. 
That  with  quietness  they  work,  etc.  The 
same  as  in  1  Thess.  4  :  11  ;  there,  however, 
given  as  an  earnest  exhortation ;  here,  more 
stringently,  as  a  command.  They  were  to  en- 
gage in  labor,  and  earn  their  own  living  ^MJe^/y 
Not  merely  "with  a  quiet  mind"  (Alford),  but 
in  a  quiet  manner.  There  had  been,  it  would 
appear,  too  much  talking,  going  from  house  to 
house,  intermeddling  with  affairs  not  their 
own;  'with  quietness'  is  appropriately  made 
a  prominent  feature  of  the  precept.  Comjiare 
1  Peter  3:4:  "A  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which 
is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price." 

13.  Be  not  weary  in  well-doin^.  The 
well-doing  meant  is  plainly  that  which  per- 
tains to  the  subject  in  hand  ;  tlnit  is,  quiet  and 
orderly  dail3'  labor,  faithful  performance  of 
everyday  tasks.  It  deserves  attention  here 
that  the  writer  is  not  speaking  of  any  form  of 
what  is  ordinarily  called  "Christian  work,"  a 
phrase  with  quite  misletiding  implications; 
not  of  proclainting  the  gospel,  or  of  any  kind 
of  philanthropic  or  charitable  service.  It  is 
the  well-doing  of  industrious  bread-earning — 
manual  labor  for  the  mo^^t  part.  This  was  the 
well-doing  then  specially-  needed  at  Thessa- 
lonica  for  the  welfare  of  the  church,  and  the 
need  has  not  ceased.  It  is  one  form  of  "the 
patience  of  Christ,"  referred  to  in  ver.  6,  given 
in  the  example  of  Jesus  the  carpenter,  as 
well  as  in  that  of  Paul  the  tent-maker.  No- 
where is  the  believer's  endurance  more  hardly 
tried  than  in  "the  common  round,  the  daily 
task"  of  ordinary  life.  Hence  the  exhorta- 
tion, '  Be  not  weary  ' ;  that  is,  "  be  steadfast." 
It  is  one  of  Paul's  favorite  phrases  in  whidi  to 
urge  endurance — the  heroic  virtue  he  so  highly 
esteemed,  and  of  which  he  was  an  eminent 
example.  The  word  (^ivKOKim)  occurs  also  in 
Luke  18  :  1  :  "And  he  spake  a  parable  unto 
them  that  they  ought  alwajs  to  pray,  and  not 
to  faint.'' 

14,  15.  These  verses  reiterate  distinctly  and 


102 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


[Ch.  III. 


note  that  man,  and  have  no  company  with  him,  that  he 
may  be  ashamed. 

lo  Yet  count  him  not  as  an  enemy,  but  admonish  him 
as  a  brother. 

16  Now  the  Lord  of  peace  himself  give  you  peace 
always  by  all  means.    The  Lord  be  with  you  all. 


eth  not  our  word  by  this  epistle,  note  that  man,  that 
ye  have  no  compauy  wiih  him,  to  the  end  that  he 

15  may    be   ashamed.     And   ynt   cnuut   him  not  as  au 
enemy,  but  admonish  liim  as  a  brotlier. 

16  Now  the  Lord  of  peace  himself  give  you  peace  at 
all  times  iu  all  ways.     The  Lord  be  with  you  all. 


explicitly  the  main  point  of  the  section.  Our 
word  by  this  epistle  ;  namely,  the  commands 
contained  in  the  preceding  verses.  Note  that 
man,  and   have   no  company  with  him. 

Taite  note  of  him,  and  have  him  known  to  the 
brethren  as  one  from  whom  you  are  to  keep 
separate;  the  .same  requirement  as  "  withdraw 
yourselves,"  in  ver.  6.  The  object,  so  far  as 
the  person  himself  is  concerned,  is  to  shame 
him  into  obedience,  to  lead  him  to  return  to 
the  path  of  duty.  Hence  your  action  regard- 
ing him  must  be  taken  in  a  spirit  of  fraternal 
love.  Yet  (or,  and)  count  him  not  as  an 
enemy  (the  'yet'  of  the  English  translators  is 
not  required  by  the  Greek  of  the  sentence,  or 
by  the  general  context)  but  admonish  him 
as  a  brother.  Brotherly  admonition  will  be 
the  appropriate  means  to  bring  him  back  to 
an  orderly  walk. 

The  directions  which  are  here  laid  down  in 
a  spirit  of  tender  affection  are  to  be  carried  out 
in  a  like  spirit.  Obedience  to  authority,  sub- 
mission to  the  settled  order  of  the  church,  can 
be  insisted  on  and  secured  without  impairing 
Christian  love. 

The  Apostle  Paul's  assertion  of  his  apostolic 
authority  in  the  churches  he  had  founded, 
which  this  passage  implies,  has  been  referred 
to  above.  Significant  also  is  the  implication 
that  each  church  was  vested  with  full  au- 
thority to  maintain  unimpaired  its  own  integ- 
rity and  order.  "  Let  all  things  be  done  unto 
edifying"  is  a  principle  which  applies  not 
only  to  the  conduct  of  a  church's  worship,  but 
to  its  corporate  life  throughout.  There  are 
cases,  as  in  this  instance,  where  a  church  is 
bound  to  separate  from  its  fellowship  even 
those  whom  it  has  no  reason  to  regard  as  un- 
regenerate.  Without  passing  judgment  on 
the  offender's  personal  relation  to  his  Saviour, 
it  decides  that  the  welfare  of  the  church  re- 
quires his  exclusion.  Not  only  scandalous 
olfences  and  the  denial  of  fundamental  doc- 
trines, but  any  course  of  action  that  mani- 
festly interrupts  the  "edifying" — the  upbuild- 
ing— of  the  church,  and  tends  to  disorganiza- 
tion, may  call  for  disciplinary  treatment. 

Outside  of  the  gospels  this  is  the  earliest  pre- 


cept in  the  matter  of  church  discipline.  No 
definite  official  or  technical  procedure  is  ap- 
pointed for  this  case  by  the  apo.stle ;  how  they 
were  to  take  note  of  the  individual,  in  what 
manner  or  to  what  extent  he  was  to  be  cut  off 
from  the  fellowship  and  privileges  of  the 
church,  is  not  indicated.  It  seems  evident  that 
the  duty  of  admonition  and  discipline  is  en- 
joined upon  the  church,  not  merely  upon  cer- 
tain ofl[icers,  and  not  upon  individuals,  as  such, 
to  abstain,  for  instance,  from  ordinary  busi- 
ness dealings,  or  from  social  intercourse  with 
the  oflfender.  The  action  enjoined  with  refer- 
ence to  the  disobedient  member  could  have  no 
efficacy,  except  as  proceeding  from  the  body. 
It  is  his  exclusion  for  a  time  from  the  body  or 
community  of  believers;  he  is  not  to  be  con- 
sidered one  of  them.  Such  action  would  of 
course  imply  non-participation  in  the  Lord's 
Supper,  the  very  hearthstone  of  the  church's 
associate  life.  It  is  intended  to  have  effect 
temporarily ;  the  object,  on  the  one  hand,  is  the 
health  and  welfare  of  the  church  ;  on  the  other, 
the  welfare  of  the  person  himself,  that  he 
might  be  restored  to  a  better  course. 

16.  The  Lord  of  peace  himself  give  you 
peace.  Peace,  in  the  language  of  Scripture, 
is  frequently  a  comprehensive  term  for  spiritual 
well-being;  it  is  the  blessedness  that  comes  to 
be  in  the  believer's  soul  through  the  indwell- 
ing and  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  See  note 
on  1  Thess.  1  :  1.  Too  many  have  followed 
Chrysostom  in  regarding  the  words  here  as  a 
praj'er  that  they  may  be  kept  from  dissension, 
particularlj'  in  connection  with  the  above  mat- 
ters of  discipline.  But  this  is  at  variance  with 
Paul's  use  of  the  word  in  his  benedictions;  it 
is  an  inward  bliss,  a  peace  within  the  soul  of 
each  believer,  that  he  invokes. 

Whether  'Lord'  here  refers  specifically  to 
Christ,  or  the  phrase  is  simply  the  equivalent 
of  "God  of  peace"  in  1  Thess.  5:  23,  it  is 
impossible  and  quite  unnecessary  to  determine. 
See,  however,  note  on  ver.  5,  above;  also,  John 
16  :  33,  "These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you, 
that  in  me  ye  may  have  peace"  ;  John  14  :  27, 
"Peace  I  leave  with  you;  my  peace  I  give 
unto  you."     By  all   means — literally,    "in 


Ch.  III.] 


II.  THESSALONIANS. 


103 


17  The  salutation  of  Paul  with  mine  own  hand,  which  I  17      The  sahiiation  of  me  Paul  with  mine  own  hand, 
is  the  token  in  every  epistle:  so  I  write.  18  which  is  the  token  in  every  episile:  so  1  write.    The 

18  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  wiili  jou  all. 
all.    Auieu. 


every  rnanner,"  or  "in  every  way."  This 
"  inward  sunshine  of  the  soul ''  will  transfigure 
life  in  all  its  relations — the  earthly  and  e.vter- 
iial,  as  well  as  the  spiritual.  To  him  who  has 
the  fullness  of  this  peace,  "the  earth  and  every 
coniinon  sight"  will  be  "apparelled  in  celes- 
tial light,''  and  no  day,  no  dut}-  will  be  poor 
or  common. 

17,  18.  These  two  verses  originally  were  in 
autograph.  The  letter  which  Paul  has  thus 
far  been  dictating  to  an  amanuensis,  perhaps 
Timothy,  is  ended.  He  now  takes  the  pen 
and  adds  these  closing  sentences  with  his  own 
hand,  in  attestation  that  it  is  indeed  from  him — 
his  custom,  as  he  tells  here,  in  all  his  letters. 


That  is  to  say,  he  usually  wrote  with  his  own 
hand  a  closing  greeting  or  benediction,  some- 
tinies,  it  would  ajtpear  from  this  instance, 
including  his  own  name. 

So  I  write— that  i.s,  "in  such  characters  as 
ver.  17,  18  appeart'd  written  with."  (Ellicott.) 
A  special  reason  for  calling  the  attention  of 
the  church  to  his  autograph  may  perhaps  be 
found  in  2  :  2,  above.  If  a  forged  letter  was 
presented,  it  could  be  detected  in  this  way. 
They  were  to  receive  none  as  genuine  without 
his  sign  manual  at  the  close  of  it.  The  grace 
of  our  liOrd,  etc.  On  this  benediction,  see 
note  at  close  of  the  First  Epistle. 


-V       *^ 


4<^'     -  >^      -*■ 


Date  Due 


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Eo'^'^eVtS'o-L  epistle  to  the 

Prmceion  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library  _ 


1    1012  00056  0617 


